Los Angeles Lakers: The NBA wants a Lakers-Pelicans playoff matchup

The Los Angeles Lakers might see the New Orleans Pelicans in the playoffs after all.

For the next several years, the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans are going to be connected because of the Anthony Davis trade. Davis could become the face of the Lakers for years to come and the Pelicans’ young core could turn the team into one of the league’s best in a few seasons.

There is also the connection between LeBron James and Zion Williamson. Zion is the most hyped rookie that the league has seen since LeBron James and is the biggest physical specimen that has been drafted since LeBron James.

Very, very, very rarely is there that first overall pick that everyone knows without a doubt is going to be a superstar. As long as he stays healthy, Zion is already showing that he is going to be that superstar.

Because of the storylines, the familiarity, the highlight reel plays that would ensue, the NBA is obviously trying to orchestrate a Lakers-Pelicans first-round matchup. The Pelicans have seemingly gotten the best road to the eighth seed of any team in the league, which would create an absolute money-maker in the first round of the playoffs.

Why we might get the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans in the first round:

First, the NBA implemented a new rule with the eighth seed that is special for this resumed season. If the ninth seed is within four games of the eighth seed by the end of the eight games played, the two teams will enter a two-game playoff format.

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Essentially, the eighth seed would have to beat the ninth seed in back-to-back games to then become the new eighth seed. The eighth seed only has to win one of those games.

The Pelicans are currently 3.5 games back of the eighth seed in the Western Conference and are tied with the Sacramento Kings.

The joke around the NBA online community was that this was Adam Silver’s “Zion Williamson” rule. Well, that conspiracy got even deeper when the schedules for the 22 teams participating in Orlando were unveiled.

The Los Angeles Lakers have the third-hardest remaining schedule, which is probably fair as they are the best team in the West. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have the easiest remaining schedule.

It should be noted that the Pelicans did have the easiest remaining schedule of the 22 teams invited to Orlando, but not every team stayed in the same position as they were before. For example, the Portland Trailblazers had the 16th-hardest remaining schedule of the 22 teams. They now have the fifth hardest.

The Trailblazers are conveniently the eighth seed in the West.

Six of the Pelicans’ eight games are against teams that are below .500, which is the most in the league. Portland has two games against sub-.500 teams.

Ironically, as well, the Pelicans are part of a doubleheader on July 30 that is going to kickstart the resumed season as they take on the Utah Jazz. The other game of this doubleheader, which is going to get massive ratings? The Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers.

The writing is on the wall. The Los Angeles Lakers will face the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs and it will be electric.