Sharpe is confident the Lakers can still make the conference finals

MOLLY Qerim couldn’t resist a dig at Shannon Sharpe after his Los Angeles Lakers fell to another defeat this past weekend.

The Lakers went down 123-113 on Sunday night in a disappointing loss against the Phoenix Suns.

Molly Qerim has teased Shannon Sharpe over the Los Angeles Lakers' latest loss
3

Molly Qerim has teased Shannon Sharpe over the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest lossCredit: First Take/ESPN

Sharpe defended his Lakers and claimed they could still make the conference finals
3

Sharpe defended his Lakers and claimed they could still make the conference finalsCredit: First Take/ESPN

Qerim was jokingly accused of being hostile by her ESPN co-star
3

Qerim was jokingly accused of being hostile by her ESPN co-starCredit: First Take/ESPN
Qerim joined Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith on First Take to discuss all things sports from over the weekend.

The ESPN host was barely through the introductions before taking an immediate broadside at Sharpe’s Lakers.

“Hey Shannon, what’s up with your Lakers? What happened?” Molly laughed.

“Couldn’t match up with [Kevin Durant]’s Suns on Sunday? What’s the deal? Let’s get into it.”

“Woah, woah, Molly!” replied a shocked Sharpe, who was calling in from the Los Angeles studio alongside Smith.

“You’re a little hostile this morning.”

“She’s sensitive about that fashion part we brought up,” added Stephen A., referencing an earlier conversation about Molly’s on-air wardrobe choice.

The panel moved on to talking in depth about the Lakers’ chances of reaching the conference finals.

Coach Darvin Ham called the referees “inconsistent” after Los Angeles was given just 8 trips to the free throw line during the loss.

Molly asked Sharpe for his unbiased opinion on whether he thought the Lakers could progress given they are currently ninth in the Western Conference.

Stephen A. Smith apologizes live on First Take to NBA star for ‘stupidest prediction I ever made in my life’
“I do [believe they can] but it will be more difficult than it was last year,” Sharpe replied.

“But I do think that the teams around them are better than they were last season.”

Fans on social media were quick to comment on Shannon’s assertion, with many questioning his logic.

“Y’all think the Lakers are gonna make a deep playoff run? They’re 9th in the west by 1/2 a game and they’re a .500 team. Denver, OKC, Clippers, Mavs, Suns, T-Wolves are all better teams,” wrote one fan on X.

“The fact that Molly had to tell Shannon to be unbiased,” laughed another.

“I’m liking a firey @MollyQerim on First Take today!” another added.

First Take airs every weekday from 10 am ET on ESPN.