Lakers Playoff Watch: Can LA Hold On To Play-In Seeding Tonight?
Your Los Angeles Lakers are facing off against the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena tonight. Though they are two-point underdogs this evening, yours truly is optimistic about the team's chances tonight.
At 32-34, Los Angeles currently occupies the ninth seed in the Western Conference, though it is tied by record with the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans, who seem to be in danger of falling out of the play-in race entirely despite all their talent. NOLA has gone 3-7 in its last 10 games, and is currently saddled with long-term injuries to star forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.
But LA still needs to do its part to win, especially with LeBron James out for at least the next two weeks with the right tendon injury that has already kept him shelved for five straight contests.
Two other teams in the thick of the West's play-in hunt are active tonight. The seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (34-33) are playing the 37-29 Brooklyn Nets, who are not nearly as good as their record suggests. Given the urgency of the moment for Minnesota, it may be unreasonable to assume Brooklyn wins. Meanwhile, the 31-35 Portland Trail Blazers, currently the 13th seed in the conference, will most likely lose to a 43-22 Philadelphia 76ers team that has won its last three straight.
Obviously, Lakers fans should root for Minnesota and Portland to lose. But if just Portland takes a hit tonight, that would help create a bit more separation between a sharpshooting Trail Blazers club and LA, even if Los Angeles does fall.
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