Home Basketball LeBron James’ Season in Peril as Lakers Face Potential Play-In Trap with No Clear Escape Route

LeBron James’ Season in Peril as Lakers Face Potential Play-In Trap with No Clear Escape Route

Basketball — 04/12/2024

The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2023–24 season has been quite the ride. After advancing to the Western Conference Finals the previous season, expectations were high, and after LeBron James led them to the first-ever NBA Cup in December, many declared Los Angeles to be a title danger this spring.

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But the Lakers will have to overcome all odds to capture their second championship since 2020. After LeBron advances the Lakers into the real playoffs, they will face a potentially terrifying opponent in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Lakers must once more play their way in.After a dismal 43-39 regular season, the Lakers upset the Minnesota Timberwolves in overtime to claim the #7 seed the previous year. 

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Many were taken aback by what transpired next: the Lakers eliminated the Memphis Grizzlies, the second-seeded team, and in the second round, James defeated his longtime rival, the Golden State Warriors. 

However, the well eventually ran dry in the conference finals, as the Denver Nuggets, the ultimate champions, swept the Los Angeles Lakers out of the postseason.

This season appears to be repeating a similar scenario. The Lakers (45-35) are one half game behind the Sacramento Kings for the eighth spot in the Western Conference with two games left. 

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Only one of the 20 possible postseason teams had a confirmed seed going into Thursday’s play, illustrating the widespread ambiguity surrounding the NBA’s seeding.

The Lakers would need to win two games to go to the quarterfinals if they maintain their position as the nine-seed. That would put them in the first round against the Nuggets, who are expected to finish as the top seed in the West for the second straight year according to the current standings.

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Denver is still the front-runner for MVP, Nikola Jokic, and they have a strong chance to win again at LeBron’s cost. To give themselves a chance to avoid Denver, Los Angeles will need to win its final two games and pray that the Kings and the Phoenix Suns do not. 

Whether another playoff loss to the Nuggets would force the King into retirement would be a major offseason narrative.