Why the current West standings are perfect for the Los Angeles Lakers

The alternative is the Los Angeles Lakers going through both the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns

With Jamal Murray’s injury, I would consider the Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns as the two biggest challenges in the Western Conference. The Clippers have been playing really good basketball and have a really unique star duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, who needs to play better in the playoffs.

The Suns are a bit inexperienced but they have the veteran leadership of Chris Paul and have more starpower than Utah. That is where I draw the line between the two teams. They are both great teams but the Suns have two guys who I would feel comfortable having the ball with the game on the line.

I cannot say the same thing for Utah.

The Lakers are going to have to get through at least one of these teams to make the NBA Finals but having to play them in back-to-back series is tough. The Lakers and Clippers are the two most talented teams in the West and if the Lakers fall to the sixth seed, as it currently stands, they would square off in round one.

As much as I would love to see the Lakers beat them in round one and essentially ruin the next decade for the franchise, I also want the Lakers to have the easiest chances. The Lakers might not be fully in the groove in round one as LeBron and AD get reacclimated.

Let the Clippers go to war with Damian Lillard and the Blazers, who will lose the series but put up a good fight. Let Phoenix play an over-qualified Dallas team that will also put up a good fight and then let them go at each other in the second round, hopefully fatiguing for the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

So as ironic as it sounds, the Los Angeles Lakers are exactly where they need to be.