Doncic and James with Los Angeles Lakers hunting the championship ring

Basketball stars Luka Doncic and Lebron James On Saturday nights to Sunday, Los Angeles Lakers awaits the first match of the conference quarterfinals in the Western NBA NBA Western Conference against Minnesota Timberwolves. Lakes have the advantage of domestic terrain after regular part of the season finished third in the conference.

Los Angeles Lakers will compete for the 18th title in the NBA in the playoffs. There are just so many titles after last year’s Boston win. The Celts, ten months ago, for a record 18. The championship ring in the 4-1 finals chased Dallas Mavericks, for which Doncic was still played.

But the NBA face has changed in the last two and a half months. The beginning of February was marked by a bombastic and striking exchange in which, in strict secrecy, Doncic had to replace the middle and move from Dallas Mavericks to Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis And some others in changing basketball players.

Although the heifers were already undertaking, all the dark clouds were coming to the following season after Davis was injured in the first game and was absent for a long time, and worse was taken away by Kyrie Irving with a scraped cross bond, thus resting for at least half a year.

Lakers after changing revived and adapted to

Last year’s finalist Dallas landed in a play-in tournament with big pains, and much from a weakened band under the leadership of the general manager Nica Harrison Betting on the mantra « Defense of the titles » is not expected.

Quite differently, this time is Los Angeles Lakers, who have won 18 out of 28 games since the now famous exchange. After a few initial spasms, Doncic got used to playing in a new band and under the baton of a former teammate, and now one of the most promising coaches in the NBA Jj redick.

The latter dropped the ax in honey when he was able to welcome James-Doncic in training, while also taking a major step further this season Austin Reaveswhich, as the third option for organizing attacks, represents an additional puzzle for opponents coaches.

Forty -year -old James withdrew Doncic a little in the attack, but every time he is ready to take over the rehearsal and shooting burden when the fatigue begins to be Slovene, or he is duplicated on the pitch. In defense, Jezerniki do not stand out, but they are also flexible and annoying with low feasts, and at the same time players know what tasks are waiting for them.

Doncic all better prepared and dangerous

The US media, especially from Doncic, is expecting big things. So far, in exactly 50 games in the playoffs, once with Dallas he has qualified for the grand finals and in the Western Conference finals, at an average of 30.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game, and in good shape was also in the last games before the playoffs.

At the first return to the old home, Dallas, at the time of the emotional announcement of the match and with the standing ovations when leaving the field, he poured 45 points, and a few days later he added 39 points to Houston in three quarters and obviously warmed up for the playoffs in a timely manner.

Doncic is now awaiting old acquaintances from Minnesota. Last year, in the Mavericks jersey, he completely destroyed Wolves in the conference finals and read some lessons in their hall. This time, after third place in the West, it will have even the advantage of home terrain for the first time in his career, and already lakes are one of the best domestic league bands (31-10).

“I think we have an exceptional team. We have boys who are willing to go to the ‘war’. We are all holding together, the chemistry is at a high level, so I am sure we have opportunities, « Doncic said to the gathered media before the playoffs.

Anthony Edwards This time, it will be a fresh challenge in the image of Doncic and new teammates. He will have an experienced team with him, but also Rudy Gobertotherwise an exceptional defense player in the regular work, and in the playoffs, due to many different coaching schemes, also quite isolated in the fight against faster basketball players.

The first game will be in Los Angeles on Sunday at 2.30pm. The second will also be in the city of Angels on Wednesday at 4 o’clock, third in Minneapolis 26. April at 3.30, and fourth then at the same scene on April 21.30. Any further matches in the four -win series will then be in early May.

Wild west and predictable east

Lakers are favorites, and in the event of promotion, they could also retain the advantage of home terrain, although they are third supports. Houston Rockets Secondly Against Golden State Warriors with a new striking duo Stephen Curry-Jimmy Butler They are not favored. In the case of the promotion of warriors, Lakers would be played at home again, regardless of the other two couples in the West.

Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team of the league, will be favored either against Memphis or Dallas, which is still awaiting play-in for the city of the eighth carrier.

Second Slovenian Vlatko Čančar will be with a candidate for the most useful League player Nikolo Jokic As the fourth carrier with Denver Nuggets, provoked by Los Angeles Clippers. So far, Čančar has not received much opportunity in the playoffs. He played 12 matches, but only 38 minutes together.

Clippers are currently the hottest team of the league with Oklahomas, with a healthy Kawhi Leonardomooded James Harden and lately outstanding Ivico Zubec They represent a very tough nut for Denver. Just before the playoffs, he fired championship coach Mik Malon, and mostly, in the absence of real chemistry, bets on the extraordinary Jokic.

In the east, the story seems to be much clearer. The roles of the favorites for appearing in the conference final are entirely on Cleveland Cavaliers and last year’s Boston Celtics Champions. The latter were quite reserved throughout the year, and Cavaliers worked well with a very homogeneous team.

The playoffs will show who has stored more potential, but it seems that the second -handed Celts are more proven, which will compete with Orlando Magic in the first round. The best team of East Cleveland is awaiting the winner of the Play-Ino between Atlanta and Miami.

In other pairs, it will be interesting how the reborn Detroit Pistons will face the playoffs, awaiting the challenge in the image of the New York Knicks. Indiano Pacers will challenge Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks, now weakened by blood clots Damiana Lillardwhich will surely release at least the first game.