As it stands, the Los Angeles Lakers would play the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz
This might not seem like an ‘easy path’ but when compared to the alternative, it really is. Fans of these teams might be upset that they are being considered as the easier path but the Lakers have two very beatable teams in the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz.
Nothing is going to be a breeze in the NBA Playoffs but the Lakers could legitimately beat both teams in five games.
Denver Nuggets:
Just a week ago I viewed the Denver Nuggets as a very dangerous matchup. Nikola Jokic should be the league MVP and the team has a lot of talent around him. However, things change in the NBA and one massive thing changed for the Nuggets.
Jamal Murray tore his ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season and the NBA Playoffs. While Jokic is still playing, that is a massive hit to the Denver Nuggets.
Winning in the playoffs is all about starpower and unless the Lakers get hurt, I just cannot see a team that has Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter as its second and third scoring options winning a series against the Lakers.
As good as Jokic is, Murray’s injury derailed the Nuggets’ title hopes.
Utah Jazz:
I have not been shy in sharing my thoughts about the Utah Jazz before. The Jazz have been a great regular-season basketball team but regular-season basketball is different from playoff basketball. The team that I compare them to is the 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks, who were swept by LeBron’s Cavaliers in the playoffs.
The Jazz just have too many one-way role players who are not good on the defensive end. That is going to burn them when they play a smart team like the Lakers, who are also elite defensively. The game slows down and we have seen Donovan Mitchell try and play hero ball and fail this season.
The Jazz will get past the eighth seed if they remain the first seed but they will lose to the Lakers if they meet up in the playoffs.