There are four stars on display in the first round series beginning Sunday between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies. You've got LeBron James and Anthony Davis on one side, Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. on the other. And while the LA pair have a far deeper pedigree in the postseason, Memphis's duo is ascending. And the Grizzlies as a team are a popular pick to break through.So who is going to get the best of the series? There are plenty of matchups and trends to watch, including:
Dillon Brooks vs. LeBron James. Is that the matchup for the whole series? Can Brooks limit James over multiple games? Many have tried.
Who wins the rebounding battle? Memphis has been vulnerable on their own glass, and the Lakers have done well crashing the offensive boards.
Who limits transition opportunities? For the Lakers to win, they need to keep Memphis operating in the half court. That means hitting shots from the perimeter, and also making Memphis have to respect their ability to generate second chance points.
But while the role guys matter, so do the stars. For Anthony Davis, this entire season has been a "Prove It" type deal. That was the situation when he came back from injury and LeBron went down. It's the situation now, too. Can he rise to the occasion? He's done it before, especially when he understands the stakes.Finally, how much does experience matter in this series? Continuity?And predictions! We make them! Who is gonna win, when it's all said and done?HOSTS : Andy and Brian KamenetzkySEGMENT 1: Dillon Brooks vs. LeBron. Get your popcorn ready.SEGMENT 2: Is this a Prove It! series for Anthony Davis? It's been a Prove It! season, after all.SEGMENT 3: Who has the intangibles advantage? And predictions! Lakers or Grizzlies?Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!HelloFreshSkip trips to the grocery store and count on HelloFresh to make home cooking easy, fun, AND affordable – that’s why it’s America’s #1 meal kit! Go to HelloFresh.com/nba60 and use code nba60 for 60% off plus free shipping! eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.Ultimate Pro Basketball GMTo download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store.PrizePicksFirst time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDONFanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices