JR Smith got to win his second NBA title, as he was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers during their time in the bubble. While he got limited playing time, Smith was a veteran presence in the locker room who certainly helped provide guidance to some of the young guys when the going got tough. Much like his first title, Smith won this latest ring with the help of LeBron James, who he was teammates with in 2016 when the Cleveland Cavaliers went all the way.
While appearing on the "All Things Covered" Podcast with CBS Sports, Smith was asked to speak on his title run and whether or not this year's Lakers team was better than that Cavs team from 2016. In the end, Smith ultimately came to the conclusion that this year's Lakers were better.
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“I think the size that the Lakers have, we just didn’t have in Cleveland,” Smith said. “In Cleveland, we were more grittier, we played a little harder, we were much nastier defensively. But the size with this Lakers team with [Anthony Davis] and Dwight [Howard], and being able to change the lineups with Markieff [Morris], we just weren’t that versatile [in Cleveland]. We could play multiple different ways in L.A., but in Cleveland, we only had to play one way … I think the Lakers team was just too big.”
It's hard to disagree with Smith on this one, especially when you consider how this Lakers team had a much easier time winning the championship. LeBron's chemistry with Anthony Davis was second-to-none and it was clear this team loved playing together.
[Via]
