2. The Phoenix Suns will not be able to stop the Los Angeles Lakers frontcourt
There are some changes that Frank Vogel is likely going to have to make in the playoffs. For example, Andre Drummond was terrible against the Warriors and was just clogging the lane. Things opened up tremendously when they took him out of the game and that should be a lesson.
However, this matchup is better for Drummond and the Lakers as Phoenix has a legitimate center in DeAndre Ayton. Drummond can play when Ayton is on the floor and is a good neutralizing presence on the glass to keep Ayton from doing his best work.
The Suns do not have anyone to stop LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Davis played horribly in the first half of the play-in game in large part due to Draymond Green’s elite defense. The Suns do not have anyone with Green’s defensive ability or IQ, sorry, Jae Crowder.
Davis should have no problem in getting the looks that he wants to get and LeBron especially should be able to do work. It will be interesting to see how they limit his minutes in this series but when he and Davis are both on the floor the Suns are going to be in massive trouble.
The Warriors played a much closer game than I expected as I had the Lakers winning by 15+. Granted, they probably would have if they did not shoot under 30% in the first half.
The Los Angeles Lakers are bound for an ugly game or two in this series and I would not be surprised if it goes six games. At the end of the day, though, when they are firing on all cylinders the Suns have no chance to stop the Lakers.