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The LA Lakers kept their dominance over the New Orleans Pelicans with another masterful beatdown of the Zion Williamson-led franchise. On Sunday, James and his teammates showed poise and hunger in drubbing the Pelicans 124-108. A rematch of the two will take place two nights later to determine the No. 7 seed in the West.
The Lakers and the Pelicans have two chances of punching a playoff ticket. The winner of the rematch will book a postseason seat while the loser faces the winner of the Warriors-Kings tussle. If LA advances to the playoffs, it could have a showdown with either the No. 2 seeded Denver Nuggets or the top-ranked OKC Thunder.
LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets (First Round)
As it stands, the Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers first-round series promises to be the most exciting in the 2024 NBA playoffs. Those two teams have a recent history of testy encounters in the postseason. A seven-game showdown headed by Luka Doncic and Kawhi Leonard will be riveting.
An LA Lakers versus Denver Nuggets mano-a-mano, however, trumps everything in the first round of the playoffs. A rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals will unquestionably be the bigger story with so many interesting subplots.
LA has lost to Denver in seven straight games since the conference finals. Every game has been competitive but Nikola Jokic and his crew have managed to come out as the winners. No team in the NBA might be more trouble for the Lakers than the roster led by “The Joker.”
The LA Lakers might not get out of the first round against their nemesis.
LA Lakers vs OKC Thunder (First Round)
The LA Lakers reach this scenario if they lose to the New Orleans Pelicans and then eliminate the winner of the Warriors-Kings battle. As the No. 8 seed, Los Angeles sets a date with the athletic but inexperienced crew from Oklahoma. The Lakers might have a better chance of advancing against them than getting past Jokic’s Nuggets.
LA, which won the season series 3-1, will have a good chance of pulling off an upset in the playoffs. Postseason experience might be overrated but not entirely so, especially if it’s LeBron James and Anthony Davis holding that advantage. The Lakers know how to win on the biggest stage and under the brightest lights. They could use some of that edge to move on to the semi-finals.
LA Lakers vs LA Clippers (Semifinals)
The LA Clippers might very well lose to the Dallas Mavericks which will set an LA Lakers versus Mavericks semi-final duel. But, many would rather see the “Hallway Series” for the first time in NBA history. Every game in the Clippers-Lakers series will be at Crypto.com Arena, the home floor of both teams.
With the Clippers moving to the spanking-new Inuit Dome next season, a fitting end to their tenure as co-tenants of the Lakers should happen. The Lakers have had trouble beating the Clippers in the Ty Lue era. At one point, the Lakers lost 11 straight games to Kawhi Leonard and Co.
The LA Lakers, though, might have broken the LA Clippers’ recent dominance over them. In the final regular-season meeting between the two teams, LeBron James led a 21-point comeback by scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter. James and his teammates soaked up the 116-112 victory and brandished the win as harbinger of more to come.
With all the games in Los Angeles, James’ body will not have to go through the punishing road schedule. That might be a series changer and allow the purple and gold to return to the conference finals.
LA Lakers vs Denver Nuggets (Conference Finals)
The No. 3 seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, which lost in the playoffs last year, get another shot at the defending champs. With Karl-Anthony Towns healthy, the Timberwolves might finally get over the hump. But with Denver holding the home-court edge, the Nuggets could do just enough to fend off Anthony Edwards’ team.
A semifinal victory by the Nuggets will set up a mouthwatering clash between the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers got swept last season in four mostly hard-fought games. LA retooled in the offseason in preparation for what they could face in the conference finals.
The Nuggets, however, might again prove too tough for LeBron James and his teammates to overcome. Like last year, Denver will hold home-court edge, an advantage that might be another trump card for the Mile High City team.
In the Lakers’ only game in Denver this season, they crumbled 119-107. The Nuggets were unbeaten in last year’s playoffs while playing in Denver’s altitude. The combination of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and home-court advantage might again be too much.
Guess the Lakers players!
