Lakers’ Playoff Positioning Insights
The Lakers have clinched home court advantage for the first round of the playoffs, kicking off next weekend. The pressing question now is about their seeding for the postseason.
With their win over the Suns on Friday and outcomes from other Western Conference games, it’s confirmed that the Lakers will be a top-four seed heading into the playoffs.
The Timberwolves have settled into the No. 6 spot with a record of 48-33.
Meanwhile, the Rockets, having lost to the Timberwolves on Friday, have cemented their position as the No. 5 seed, along with the Lakers’ victory and the Nuggets defeating the top-seeded Thunder.
This leaves us to figure out where the Lakers and Nuggets will end up, determining potential matchups in the playoff brackets.
The Nuggets hold the No. 3 seed with a record of 53-28, but the Lakers are only a tad behind at 52-29. They still have a shot at finishing in third place, aiming for that position for the second consecutive year come the final regular-season day.
If the Lakers land as the 3rd seed…
The Lakers would need the Nuggets to falter in their last regular-season clash against the Spurs on Sunday to improve their standing.
If that happens, the Lakers must also beat the Jazz to secure the No. 3 seed. The Jazz, by the way, haven’t been in great shape lately, losing 11 of their last 12 games.
Should the Lakers snag the No. 3 seed, they would once again face the Timberwolves, who eliminated them in the first round last spring. It’s a chance for redemption, as the Timberwolves won that series in five games.
Interestingly, the Lakers had a better season series against the Nuggets, winning it 2-1, which gives them a crucial tiebreaker for playoffs.
Finalizing as the No. 3 seed would also give the Lakers their best record since hitting 57 wins back in the 2010-11 season.
If the Lakers finish as the 4th seed…
This scenario comes into play if the Nuggets win against the Spurs or if the Lakers lose to the Jazz.
In that case, the Lakers would meet the Rockets in a 4-5 series match, while the Nuggets would go against the Timberwolves in a 3-6 series.
