NBA Playoff season is finally here as the league ramps up for the postseason extravaganza with a series of Play-In Tournament games between seeds seven through ten to decide who will take the final two spots in the playoffs. The Western Conference will finalize their seventh seed tonight as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Los Angeles Lakers in the 7-8 Play-in game.
The Pelicans failed to stay in the top six of the West despite flying as high as the No. 5 seed a few weeks ago. It was a loss to their Play-In opponents on the final day of the regular season, which allowed the Phoenix Suns to jump them, but they can earn their playoff position back by getting their revenge against LA.
The Lakers have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA since February but barely gained ground on the competitive West. Even with a few late-season stumbles, the Lakers managed to climb up to the No. 8 seed and will be on the road to win this contest and book a playoff berth against the No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets.
Let’s take a look at our expert picks and injury updates ahead of this pivotal clash.
Los Angeles Lakers At New Orleans Pelicans – 7:30 PM EST
Lakers Last 10 Games: 7-3
Pelicans Last 10 Games: 5-5
Lakers Injuries: LeBron James – Day To Day (Ankle), Anthony Davis – Day To Day (Back), Jarred Vanderbilt – Out (Foot), Jalen Hood-Schifino – Out, Christian Wood – Out (Knee)
Pelicans Injuries: N/A
Last 5 Meetings: Lakers Lead 4-1
Lakers Advantages
The Los Angeles Lakers (47-35) are coming into the postseason as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, going 23-10 since February 1, 2024, the fifth-best record in that span. The team is peaking at the right time and has an established rotation of players expected to contribute, with Jarred Vanderbilt the only major absence from the lineup.
The Lakers will relish a matchup against the Pelicans given how the teams have matched up head-to-head this season. The Lakers have won three out of four contests against NOLA, including a 48-point drubbing that eliminated the Pels from the In-Season Tournament. That game is an important reference point, as that was also a win-or-go-home game, albeit with different stakes.
The defensive efficiency of the Lakers has slipped over the last three months, with their offense leading them to wins. But the Lakers have the recipe for stopping stars on the Pelicans like Zion Williamson, who’s averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists against the Lakers. The Lakers’ interior presence with Anthony Davis, as well as driving wings such as LeBron James and Rui Hachimura and attack-minded guards like Austin Reaves, will trouble Jonas Valuncuinas and could cause a major swing.
The guard scoring from LA by Reaves and D’Angelo Russell gives the Lakers an added layer of offensive protection beyond their superstars, and this offensive depth could be the decisive factor in the Lakers overcoming the Pelicans, similar to how they did in the final regular season game of the season, with LeBron expertly setting up the guards, forwards, and big on the roster for a big offensive night.
Pelicans Advantages
The New Orleans Pelicans (49-33) haven’t had the Lakers’ number in this matchup this season but have the ingredients to cause an upset, despite being the higher seed at home. Their biggest strength is their perimeter defense, as players like Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III have made it impossible to play lazy basketball on the Pelicans’ perimeter. While their skill sets have been nullified by the Lakers before, this wing duo can be the Pels’ x-factor.
There has been criticism levied against Pelicans head coach Willie Green but he has had a better season as a coach than Darvin Ham. Until Brandon Ingram’s injury two weeks ago, the Pelicans were one of the best teams in the West and were half a game behind the No. 4 seed. Green has done a great job in identifying the strengths of his roster and exploiting them for success.
The offensive brilliance of Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum is hard to account for. While the Lakers have the personnel to defend and bother both scorers, they are magnetic enough to create good offense despite great defense. The Lakers have also been slipping defensively, so McCollum and Ingram will be eager to capitalize and bait the Lakers into a shoot-out.
Finally, the Pelicans will have home court advantage. With a passionate fanbase in NOLA, they will come out in droves to not only support their hometown team but also hurt the prospects of the star-driven Lakers roster. Seeing LeBron play a competitive game like this should bring the crowds to the arena, who can rally their Pelicans’ roster into securing their playoff seed.
Who Will Win: Lakers Or Pelicans?
It’s hard to definitively pick one team or the other given their respective strengths, but we have to stick with continuity here. The Lakers have been a nightmare matchup for the Pelicans all season long, as recently as the last day of the regular season. Nothing has significantly shifted in either team to indicate that the Pelicans stand a better chance to win this contest than the previous ones.
The most recent game was won by the Lakers and the most relevant example of a tournament game this season was also won by the Lakers. The signs point to LA sealing this game and booking a playoff rematch against the Denver Nuggets who will face the seventh seed in the first round.
Prediction: Lakers def. Pelicans 118-109
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
