Magic Johnson shoots down speculations of Lakers tanking against Pelicans to dodge Nuggets in 2024 NBA Playoffs

The LA Lakers are in the midst of making their final preparations for their 7/8 seed play-in tournament game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Should the team emerge victorious, they would clinch the seventh seed and punch their ticket to a first-round meeting with the Denver Nuggets. If the team were to lose, however, they would play for the opportunity to face the OKC Thunder in the first round.

Because of that, many are wondering if the Lakers would prefer to face the OKC Thunder given their inexperience when compared to the reigning champions. While this would of course be risky, because the team would then have to face the winner of the Kings vs. Warriors 9/10 game, some fans have supported the theory.

Fans seem to be of the mindset that even though a knockout-style elimination game against the winner of the Kings/Warriors would be risky, it could be worth it. This has led some in the NBA community to theorize that LA could tank Tuesday's game against New Orleans.

In a post on social media made on Tuesday morning, Hall of Famer Magic Johnson weighed in on the situation, shooting down the notion that LA could tank.

"I want the Lakers to beat the Pelicans tonight to secure the #7 seed and face the Nuggets. Even though the Lakers lost their four matchups against the Nuggets, games 2, 3, and 4 were all close!

"It’s ridiculous that I’ve been hearing people think they should intentionally lose to face the winner of the Kings vs Warriors and eventually, the Thunder. As a true competitor, you should always want to win. To be the best, you have to beat the best!"

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Looking at the LA Lakers' record against the Pelicans, Warriors, Kings, and Nuggets this season

As Magic Johnson, and many other fans, have indicated, the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets during the regular season, losing all three of their matchups. This, of course, comes on the heels of the team being eliminated by the Nuggets in the playoffs last year.

In the first round, LA picked up a win over the Memphis Grizzlies in six games, while the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves in five. After the Nuggets then dispatched of the Suns and LA eliminated Golden State, the two teams matched up in the Western Conference Finals.

There, the Nuggets swept the Lakers in four straight games, leading many to wonder whether or not a first-round matchup this season could spell trouble for LA. At the same time, as Magic Johnson referenced, the Lakers were swept by the Nuggets during the regular season.

This season, in addition to being swept by the Nuggets, LA also went just 1-3 against the Warriors in the regular season, losing their three most recent meetings in January, March, and April.

Similarly, LA went winless against the Sacramento Kings this year during the regular season, dropping all four of the team's meetings throughout the year. On the flip side, however, LA went 3-1 against the Pelicans this season.

Given that the team has struggled against the Warriors and Kings, the idea to tank their play-in game against the Pelicans would be ill-advised. Although a first-round matchup with the Nuggets could be tougher than a first-round meeting with OKC, LA has shown they struggle against Golden State and Sacramento.