NBA
What do LeBron and the Lakers need to do in the regular season to avoid the Play-In?
Los Angeles Lakers fans know that their heroes can still enter the NBA playoffs directly, but they’ll need certain combinations to work out.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ season has been a rollercoaster of emotions. From a shaky start, they transformed into one of the league’s most formidable teams just as they began counting down games for the new In-Season Tournament, which they ultimately won. However, following that triumph came the deepest slump of the year, plummeting from a record of 14-9 to 24-25, dipping below the 50% victory mark and currently landing them in the ninth position.
Since the start of February, they’ve managed to secure 21 wins with only nine losses, placing them as the fourth-best team in the NBA by record over the past two months. Nonetheless, the parity and strong performances of nearly all mid-tier Western Conference teams have prevented the Angelinos’ spectacular record from lifting them out of Play-In contention.
With just three games remaining in the regular season, one less than both the teams above and below them, the prospect of a direct entry into the playoffs appears challenging but not insurmountable. With a record of 45-34, they trail immediately behind the Sacramento Kings (8th, 45-33), the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Phoenix Suns (7th and 6th, both at 46-32), as well as the Dallas Mavericks (5th, 48-30). While they could potentially tie with the Mavericks, they have already lost the tiebreaker with the Texans, making the fifth spot unattainable. Among the other three teams, the only one they’ve lost the tiebreaker to is the Kings. Against the Pelicans, they hold the advantage pending their final encounter on the last day of the season, on Sunday in New Orleans.
What games do LA Lakers have left to play?
From Tuesday to Sunday of this week, LeBron and co. have their final three regular opponents to navigate:
- Los Angeles Lakers - Golden State Warriors (9 Apr)
- Memphis Grizzlies - Los Angeles Lakers (12 April)
- Los Angeles Lakers - New Orleans Pelicans (14 April)
What has to happen for LA Lakers to escape Play-In?
There are several possible scenarios for the Lakers to clinch the sixth spot in the Western Conference and secure direct passage to the playoffs, without the need to compete in the Play-In tournament. Here are the three options:
- If the Lakers win all three of their remaining games, they require the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, and Sacramento Kings to finish with two wins and two losses each.
- If the Lakers win two games and lose one, they need the Phoenix Suns, New Orleans Pelicans, and Sacramento Kings to finish with one win and three losses each.