The OKC Thunder have established themselves not only as the top team in the association in 2024-25 but, realistically, one of the greatest units of all time.
On top of the fact that they currently boast the best record in the league at 43-9 and are headlined by arguably the best player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, from a historical standpoint Oklahoma City is on pace toward breaking records in several key statistical categories including largest per-game point differential (+13.44) and best net rating (13.3) in a single season.
Yet, despite all this, when it comes to a hypothetical seven-game playoff series between the Thunder and Lakers, ESPN's Shannon Sharpe is proudly taking the latter.
Shannon Sharpe predicts Lakers beat Thunder in West Finals
During the first episode of First Take following Luka Doncic's debut game with LeBron James out in Los Angeles, the popular sports personality made an astonishingly bold take regarding the newly formulated tandem, as he "guaranteed" a win for the purple and gold if they were to square off against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals this year.
"If the Lakers get the OKC Thunder in the Western Conference [Finals], we are going to the NBA Finals," Sharpe said.
Citing the fact that the Lakers are already tied for third in the conference's loss column without a fully familiar LeBron and Luka duo running alongside one another, once they begin to get acclimated Sharpe believes that James now has "somebody that can take the pressure off him" while Doncic "can go on one of them scoring binges."
Along with this, Sharpe is also high on the idea that Austin Reaves (who finished with 22 points during Monday's game against Utah) can serve as a highly reliable offensive creator with or without both stars on the floor, saying: "Kobe of the Ozarks has been giving people that work."
Now, while this new-look Lakers core is undoubtedly exciting to think about and very likely could be a competitive bunch out West for the foreseeable future, to say they'll make it all the way to the conference final after just a few months together is a bit far-fetched.
Furthermore, guaranteeing a series win, especially against the top-seeded and historically-paced Thunder, is even more ridiculous and both co-host Stephen A. Smith and NBA insider Brian Windhorst gave Sharpe a piece of their mind after he made such a jaw-dropping prediction.
"Shannon needs to be drug tested. Something's wrong with you right now... I'm telling you right now, they ain't beating no Oklahoma City this year," Smith said.
"[The Lakers'] roster is terribly imbalanced. They have tremendous perimeter right now... but their interior is rough. Jaxson Hayes is a career back-up... The other two centers they have right now are two-way guys... If they draw Oklahoma City, Shannon, that's trouble buddy. They are 42-9, they start two 7-footers [and] they're just learning to play together," Windhorst said.
Collectively, both Luka Doncic and LeBron James are 0-2 when suiting up against the Thunder this season, meanwhile, Oklahoma City is only now just starting to get to full strength as a unit what with the recent return of star big man Chet Holmgren.
Though Los Angeles may have a case for rostering the most menacing one-two punch in the game, basketball is a team sport, and in no world do the Lakers as currently constructed have the better overall roster or rotation compared to OKC.
One game is far too small a sample size to anoint LA as a serious Western Conference Finals threat to the Thunder.
Let's pump the breaks a bit, Mr. Sharpe!