When the Los Angeles Lakers started the season 2-10, no one could have predicted that they’d be closing in on the 5th seed at some point in this campaign.
Following their dominant win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday, though, the Lakers improved to 40-38 on the season. That result leaves them just half a game behind the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers and the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors, both of whom are at 41-38.
It looks set to be a tight race for the automatic playoff positions, so let’s have a look at their schedules the rest of the way.
Los Angeles Clippers:
vs. Los Angeles Lakers
vs. Portland Trail Blazers
@ Phoenix Suns
Golden State Warriors:
vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
@ Sacramento Kings
@ Portland Trail Blazers
Los Angeles Lakers:
@ Utah Jazz
@ Los Angeles Clippers
vs. Phoenix Suns
vs. Utah Jazz
There are some intriguing games in there, with the most critical one easily being the clash between the Lakers and Clippers, which is on the 5th of April. That one game might as well end up deciding who finishes where.
Predicting Where These Teams Could Finish
The Warriors certainly have a very good chance of securing their spot in the top six for a couple of reasons. One of the Lakers or Clippers is guaranteed to lose a game as they play each other, which means they will have some breathing room. They should also beat the Thunder at home, and despite all their struggles on their travels, they should beat the Trail Blazers, too, as Damian Lillard has been shut down for the season. They will probably lose to the Kings, though, which means they’re likely to finish at 43-39.
The Clippers also get a shot at the Blazers and should win that one, while the Lakers have two games against the Jazz, who have now lost seven of their last 10 games. That means both teams should get to 42 wins, and here is where it gets tricky. They both play the Suns, who are 6-0 with Kevin Durant, but the Lakers get to face them the night after Phoenix plays against the Denver Nuggets. Fatigue could play a factor, but the Suns would probably still beat both these teams, which means it all comes down to that head-to-head meeting.
While it would be easy to go for the Lakers, considering they are trending upward, the Clippers have won the last 10 games between these sides. It would also be a revenge game for Russell Westbrook, but Paul George’s absence might end up being a bit too much to overcome, and we’d give the Lakers the win. That would mean they finish with the same record as the Warriors but get the fifth seed, as they hold the tiebreaker, while the Clippers would have to settle for seventh.
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