Lake Show Life
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The Lakers may actually get a dream playoff scenario to increase title odds

By Jason Reed

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 31: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of the game at Target Center on March 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 123-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 31: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates his three-point basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of the game at Target Center on March 31, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 123-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a roll as of late and at this rate, the team has all but secured at least a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. Anything can happen down the stretch but with how this team has played it would be shocking if they fell below the 10th seed.

The Lakers are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference and have the same record as the New Orleans Pelicans, who they own a tiebreaker over. Los Angeles is 1.5 games ahead of the ninth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves and 2.5 games ahead of the 10th-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors are both one game ahead of the Lakers. Los Angeles owns the tiebreaker over the Warriors and has a game remaining against the Clippers with four games left to play.

The dream Lakers playoff scenario is within reach.

With LA being just one game behind both the Clippers and Warriors there is a chance that the team could elevate out of the play-in altogether and be one of the top six seeds in the Western Conference. Having the tiebreaker over the Warriors is massive and the remaining game against the Clippers could very well be the deciding factor depending on how things shake out.

Regardless, the dream playoff scenario for the Los Angeles Lakers is to get into the sixth seed as that makes the team’s potential path to the NBA Finals much easier. If the Lake Show can move into the sixth seed then the team’s title odds undoubtedly grow.

This would give them a first-round matchup against the Sacramento Kings. As great as the Kings have been this season they are horribly defensively and have little to no playoff experience on the roster. They are, without a doubt, the most beatable top seed in the West.

If the Lakers advanced they would play the winner of the two-seven matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and whichever team advances out of the play-in as the seventh seed. While Memphis is a great basketball team, they are far more beatable than the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns, who would be the two teams LA would have to go through on the other side of the bracket.

Getting to the Western Conference Finals before having to play the Nuggets and Suns is the absolute best-case scenario for LA. Anything could then take place once that series begins.

The purple and gold is set up nicely to get into that sixth seed. The team has the Jazz twice, Clippers and Suns to finish the season. If they take care of the Clippers that smells of a 3-1 finish for the Lakers, giving them a 43-39 record.

The Clippers have the Blazers and Suns in addition to the Lakers. The Clippers would have to win both of those games to stay ahead of 43-49 Lakers team. Because they don’t have the tiebreaker, the Warriors would have to go 3-0 to finish ahead of a 43-39 Lakers team. Golden State plays the Thunder, Kings and Blazers.

Next. Lakers all-time starting 5 of players who never made playoffs. dark

The ball is in the Lake Show’s court. The dream playoff scenario is staring the team right in the face. They just have to go out and take care of business.

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