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Lakers doubted again as ESPN unanimously picks Thunder series winner
TL;DR
ESPN analysts unanimously predict the Oklahoma City Thunder will win the playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. This follows a similar trend where the Lakers were also doubted in the first round of the playoffs.
Key points
- ESPN analysts unanimously picked the Thunder to win
- Lakers previously doubted in the first round
- All 10 analysts favored Oklahoma City
- Lakers advanced despite being underdogs
- Previous predictions heavily favored the opposition
Mentioned in this story
LeBron James
Los Angeles LakersOklahoma City Thunder
Lakers doubted again as ESPN unanimously picks Thunder series winner originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Lakers have already been through this once these playoffs. Most analysts picked against them in the first round, and they still found a way through. Now the challenge gets tougher. And so does the doubt. After advancing behind a strong stretch from LeBron James, the Lakers are once again being counted out heading into the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
ESPN panel all in on Oklahoma City
ESPN gathered predictions from 10 of its NBA analysts ahead of the series. The result was simple and pretty telling. All 10 picked the Thunder to win. There was no split, no hesitation, and no one leaning toward a Lakers upset. It is a full consensus in favor of Oklahoma City. That is not far off from what saw in the first round. In that series, 14 of 15 ESPN experts picked them to lose. Only one analyst sided with the Lakers at the time, and even that vote has flipped heading into this matchup.
Q&A
Why did ESPN analysts pick the Thunder over the Lakers?
ESPN analysts believe the Thunder have a stronger chance of winning based on their performance and the Lakers' previous struggles.
What was the outcome of the Lakers' first-round playoff series?
The Lakers advanced past the first round despite being picked against by most analysts, with only one ESPN expert predicting their victory.
How many ESPN analysts predicted the Thunder to win the series against the Lakers?
All 10 ESPN analysts unanimously picked the Thunder to win the series against the Lakers.
What does the unanimous prediction for the Thunder indicate about the Lakers' playoff chances?
The unanimous prediction suggests that analysts have significant doubts about the Lakers' ability to upset the Thunder in the semifinals.
