Jazz's Remaining Schedule is the Easiest in the League

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I'd bet the Lakers would just tank to 6th in that scenario.

If Denver thought the Lakers were headed to the 6th seed, the Nuggets would likely tank their way to the 4th seed and keep the Clippers in the 3rd seed. There's an interesting game of Chicken brewing here.

538 currently projects that the Mavs and Lakers will each finish with 42 wins. In that scenario, the Mavs would take the 5th seed with the tie-breaker and the Lakers would fall to 6th. It's becoming increasingly likely that the Lakers end up 6th. Denver and LA Clippers would be the 3rd and 4th seeds in some order.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

A few interesting things are happening -- Lebron is about to come back for the Lakers. It could be as early as tonight. If he can right their ship, the Lakers will most likely stay in the #5 seed.

Denver will probably then react to this and make a push to avoid the Lakers in the 1st round and beat out the Clippers for the #3 seed. That would put the Clippers and Lakers in a 4 vs. 5, 1st-rd matchup. Denver and the Clippers play each other in Denver tomorrow. Kawhi is still expected to be out.

Jazz could hit cruise control, finish 6-4 in their final 10 games, and still hold the #2 seed. This would move them away from the Lakers' side of the bracket and possibly the Clippers as well. Either LA team would most likely be favored against the Suns in the 2nd round.

 

[NAOS]

A few interesting things are happening -- Lebron is about to come back for the Lakers. It could be as early as tonight. If he can right their ship, the Lakers will most likely stay in the #5 seed.

Denver will probably then react to this and make a push to avoid the Lakers in the 1st round and beat out the Clippers for the #3 seed. That would put the Clippers and Lakers in a 4 vs. 5, 1st-rd matchup. Denver and the Clippers play each other in Denver tomorrow. Kawhi is still expected to be out.

Jazz could hit cruise control, finish 6-4 in their final 10 games, and still hold the #2 seed. This would move them away from the Lakers' side of the bracket and possibly the Clippers as well. Either LA team would most likely be favored against the Suns in the 2nd round.

Did you just jinx this outcome, too?

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Did you just jinx this outcome, too?

Nah, I have a no-jinx special power.

 

[Sean]

Lakers lose to the Kings.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Lakers lose to the Kings.

Yeah, and they looked awful doing it. They're all out of sorts right now. AD and Drummond are getting in each other's way. Schroeder looks lost playing off the ball.

 

[Sean]

I'm now worried the Lakers drop to the 7th spot.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I'm now worried the Lakers drop to the 7th spot.

So Lebron and AD come back and the Lakers drop 2 spots? It would mean they're not very good. Dallas, LA and Portland are going to be close though.

 

[MTS]

I'm now worried the Lakers drop to the 7th spot.

It's extremely possible.

vs Raptors
vs Nuggets (b2b)
@ Clippers
@ Blazers (b2b)
vs Suns
vs Knicks
vs Rockets (b2b)
@ Pacers
@ Pelicans (b2b)

They have a really difficult schedule, and four b2b's. I think it will all come down to their game at Portland, because that game will also determine which of those two teams gets the tiebreaker over the other. If Lakers win that, they're almost definitely avoiding the play-in. If they lose it, start mentally prepping for Jazz/Lakers 1st round.

 

[MTS]

So Lebron and AD come back and the Lakers drop 2 spots? It would mean they're not very good. Dallas, LA and Portland are going to be close though.

Or it would mean they're still getting their legs back against a hellishly condensed schedule.

 

[Sean]

Or it would mean they're still getting their legs back against a hellishly condensed schedule.

Right. That's how I see it. LeBron has been out for over a month. It's going to take a bit of time to get back to his old self, and, as you showed, their schedule isn't exactly light coming up.

 

[MTS]

As I think about it, if I'm the Lakers, the no-brainer decision would be to rest AD/LeBron against the Clippers to go all out in that Portland game the following night. Beating Portland keeps them out of the play-in. It's the far more important game.