The stage is set. As the seventh seed in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers will participate in the NBA’s newly-implemented play-in tournament. The Lakers have two games of cushion as they will be taking on the Golden State Warriors for the right to be the seventh seed in the West.
If the Lakers lose that game then they have one more shot to officially make the playoffs, playing the winner of the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers would then be the eighth seed if that is how the play-in tournament plays out.
It won’t even get to that point for the Los Angeles Lakers.
While anything can happen over two games, especially over one game, the Los Angeles Lakers do not have to worry about having to play a second game, let alone missing the playoffs altogether.
At first, the play-in tournament seemed like a disaster for the Lakers. However, with the upcoming matchups and other benefits, it became clear that the play-in tournament might actually be a blessing in disguise.
That blessing starts with a win over the Golden State Warriors, and a big one at that. The Los Angeles Lakers are going to beat the Warriors by double-figures and it will threaten 20 points.
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