The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most prominent teams in the league since they made changes in the trade deadline. After a disastrous 2-10 start, the 2020 champions find themselves in the play-in tournament. And if things go well from here, they will be able to participate in the playoffs. It will be relatively easier for the Lakers as they get ready to play a short-handed team in the Crypto Arena. Apart from home advantage Ham’s team will also have the upper hand in terms of in-form men in their squad.
The Lakers currently sit at the seventh seed in the Western Conference. They know that they fell short of just one match, which could have secured them a playoff spot. But however, the chances for the Lakers have been laid out. There is still hope for playoffs. And with ring protector Rudy Gobert out of the equation, the Lakers will have a clear advantage over the Timberwolves. But now it all depends on Tuesday who will claim the playoff spot today. Keep reading to find out what happens to the Lakers after winning or losing the game.
The Lakers Have An Advantage After Yesterday’s Wolves Drama
Minnesota Timberwolves is currently sitting in eighth position, just below the Lakers in the western conference table. And now the two teams will contest it out against each other for the playoff spot. The winner on Tuesday will then play the number two position holder from the conference. For the western conference, it will be Memphis Grizzlies who have been tremendous throughout the season. Meanwhile, the loser will compete to save their eight positions on the table against the Pelicans or City Thunder.
The winner is more likely to be the purple and gold which can take advantage of an important man missing in the Timberwolves squad. The French professional Rudy punched his own teammate in the last game of the league during a timeout. This action caused him a suspension leaving the team short-handed in an important clash against the Lakers. Rudy Gobert has since then apologized and said that “Emotions got the best of me.” But the damage is done, and his team will have to face the consequences now.
The 2020 Champs Likely To Become The 2022-23 Champs?
Many experts have started debating the odds that the Lakers could go all the way. Skip Bayless, an NBA analyst, has given a 50% chance to the Lakers reaching the Western Conference finals. However, it has never happened that a play-in tournament team has never lifted the trophy in the NBA. And that could be because of basketball’s extensive game schedule during the year.
"I’m giving the Lakers a 50% chance to win the West. I believe it will be LA vs. Phoenix with the Suns winning the Western Conference Finals in 7 games."
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 10, 2023
— @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/S6aIFAapxb
But heading closer to the season finale, nobody could disagree that the Lakers are one of the fascinating teams to watch. The superstar duo will make every game worth watching if they manage to remain healthy during this stint. And their health will be a significant factor in their chance of the trophy. But as of now, the challenge is Timberwolves, and it is a step-by-step process to the finals.
