The question in the heart of every Lakers fan - "Are we going to make it to the play-in tournament?"
Fans of the purple and gold have endured an underwhelming regular
season, with many now naming this team as one of the worst in Franchise
history. The story seemed different just a few months ago. LA had a
busy offseason; the Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope,
and Montrezl Harrell to the Wizards to get Russell Westbrook. Carmelo
Anthony signed with LA as a free agent from the Trail Blazers, and Alex
Caruso left the Lakers as an unrestricted free agent, signing a
four-year, 37 million dollar contract with the Chicago Bulls.
Theoretically, it was supposed to be a season where the Lakers would
cruise through the regular season into the playoffs. Initially, people
considered the Lakers a favorite to win the trophy for the 18th time
this season, but now it's looking less likely.
The Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history. They have
enjoyed the services of all-time greats; the likes of the late Kobe
Bryant (RIP), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and
now 4-time MVP, Lebron James. You could comfortably argue that these
five players belong in the top 10 GOAT conversation.
An elite club with millions of followers around the world, there's
every reason for fans to be upset about this season. The Lakers are
10th in the league (31-42) and are yet to register back-to-back wins
since the All-Star break. Their last winning run? January 8 when they
saw off the Atlanta Hawks 134 to 118.
There were high expectations at the start of the season, but as of this writing, the Lakers have the 14th highest NBA finals betting odds to win the championship (+10000), according to FanDuel. That's a huge slip.
While the season is not entirely over for the Lakers, it's already
looking like it. They are holding on for dear life at the bottom of the
play-in stands, and with a more improved Pelicans roster and the Spurs
just two wins behind in 11th, it's getting quite scary for the purple
and gold.
LA had to go through the play-in tournament to make the playoffs last
season but was slapped with a first-round exit against the Phoenix
Suns, a team that went on to represent the West in the Finals. The same
fate likely awaits the Lakers if they ever make it out of the play-in.
The Lakers have been without its star power, Anthony Davis, for most of
the season. The 6'10 power forward was featured in just 37 games this
season and has missed court action since he sprained his foot during
the game against Utah on February 16.
Should LA make the play-in, they'll need Anthony Davis back in the
lineup, and that, very early. We can all agree that the Lakers are a
completely different team when AD is on the court, but his injury woes
have made him less reliable. Many argue that the outcome of last
season's first-round playoff series against the Suns would have been
different if AD was fit. But we can't blame the Suns for that.
Right now, the New Orleans Pelicans are 9th. They have a 31-42 record
but are above the Lakers by their 1-0 lead in the series. LA plays the
Pelicans two times in the remaining round of regular season fixtures,
and so they could claim the tie-breaker when it's all said and done.
But with the team's rollercoaster form, it's hard to believe they'll
come out on top.
The San Antonio Spurs are breathing under their necks to claim the 10th
spot in the West; they are currently 29-44, 5 of 10, and have the 13th
easiest schedule (.490) among all teams based on opponent winning
percentage, according to Tankathon. LA, on the other hand, has the most
difficult schedule in the league (.563)
The Spurs will face four teams currently in the playoff spot
(Grizzlies, Warriors, and Nuggets) and a team that is neck-on-neck with
the Nuggets for the final automatic playoff spot (Timberwolves). In
comparison, the Lakers face five playoff teams (four road games out of
five). They face the Nuggets twice.
New Orleans will face only two teams that have secured their playoff
spots (Grizzlies and Warriors) in their final two regular-season games.
They also face a Clippers team that can almost be sure of qualifying
for the play-in.
Here's a rundown of the three teams' remaining schedule:
Lakers
New Orleans Pelicans (Road, 3/27)
Dallas Mavericks (Road, 3/29)
Utah Jazz (Road, 3/31)
New Orleans Pelicans (Home, 4/1)
Denver Nuggets (Home, 4/3)
Phoenix Suns (Road, 4/5)
Golden State Warriors (Road, 4/7)
Oklahoma City Thunder (Home, 4/8)
Denver Nuggets (Road, 4/10)
San Antonio Spurs (Home, 3/26)
Los Angeles Lakers (Home, 3/28)
Portland Trail Blazers (Road, (3/30)
Los Angeles Lakers (Road, 4/1)
Los Angeles Clippers (Road, 4/3)
Sacramento Kings (Road, 4/5)
Portland Trail Blazers (Home, 4/7)
Memphis Grizzlies (Road, 4/8)
Golden State Warriors (Home, 4/9)
Will the Lakers make the play-in? We'll have to wait to find out.
