Last season was the first time in a while the Los Angeles Lakers managed to avoid the dreaded Play-In Tournament that has haunted their existence in recent years. For a while throughout this NBA season, there was comfort in believing the Lakers would not have to worry about it. All of a sudden, the reality of ending up in familiar territory is all too close to their doorstep.
It's not just about the collective groan heard throughout Los Angeles when the Play-In Tournament is mentioned. It's about how quickly ending up there could end their 2025-26.
The Lakers need to build some sort of momentum as a franchise during the Luka Doncic era. Ending up in the Play-In, and getting smoked out in the first-round of the NBA Playoffs, would be a discouraging step backwards from last season — even if it is a "gap year" in Los Angeles.
Lakers have very little time remaining to avoid a firm drop to the Play-In
JJ Redick recently called his team a work in progress. The has unfortunately been pretty evident for the Lakers during their recent stretch.
Miscommunication on final shots, a starting center who is unhappy with his role, a superstar player getting his name dragged through the mud — Los Angeles has seen it all.
Since the Lakers won their championship in 2020, they have made the postseason in four of the five seasons that followed. Three of their four trips to the playoffs have come via the Play-In Tournament.
The Lakers got by the Golden State Warriors in 2021. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023. Most recently, they squeezed by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2024.
Redick's rookie season as head coach in 2024-25 was the first time in a long time the Lakers were trending upward. They finished as the third seed in the Western Conference. Even with the embarrassing exit from the postseason, it felt like a positive step overall.
A spot in the Play-In would represent a return to a very mediocre reality the Lakers have fought hard to avoid. It also sets them up to get absolutely blasted when the playoffs start. Assuming Los Angeles secures a spot via the Play-In, they would likely face either the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs. Neither of those matchups are favorable for them in a seven-game series.
The idea of the Lakers being a title hopeful is fading fast. Even so, no one wants to see this team in the Play-In Tournament again. That type of regression would do very little to inspire faith in their ability for a quick franchise turnaround during the immediate future.