Ranking Potential Lakers Playoff Opponents

The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a playoff run. Los Angeles has proven that they can be one of the contenders for the title if they are healthy and if they have the right matchups along the way.

Now that they have Luka Doncic to pair with LeBron James, they feel like they are one of the best offenses in the NBA. That gives them a great chance to win in any series.

The Western Conference is the more competitive of the two conferences. There are a lot of really good teams in the West.

There are certain playoff opponents that the Lakers would prefer to see in the first round. Right now, they are third in the Western Conference standings. These are the teams they'd prefer to play.

1. Memphis Grizzlies

There is no team that the Lakers would like to play more than the Grizzlies. They just recently fired their head coach with just a week left in the regular season.

Not only that, but they haven't been playing great basketball as great. They also just lost Jaylen Wells for an indefinite period after fracturing his wrist.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota has one of the best players in the league in Anthony Edwards, but they go through some periods of up-and-down play. They are also still a very young team.

That would give the Lakers a better chance to beat them since they don't have the experience that some of the guys that Los Angeles has. They'd much rather play them than some of the other teams they might face.

More Lakers news: Lakers' Luka Doncic Breaks Down Emotions in Return to Dallas

3. Denver Nuggets

Denver just shockingly fired their head coach just a few days before the playoffs start. The Lakers would face the Nuggets if they fell back into the fourth or fifth spot.

Even though the Nuggets fired Michael Malone and Calvin Booth, they still have the best player in the league. Nikola Jokic can carry the Nuggets to a win in a seven-game series because of how dynamic he is.

4. Golden State Warriors

Facing the Warriors would be a nightmare for the Lakers in the first round. They have become one of the hottest teams in the league since Jimmy Butler was acquired in a trade with the Heat.

Stephen Curry is still the most dangerous shooter in the league. Draymond Green could win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. They are a really dangerous team for Los Angeles to take on.

More Los Angeles Lakers news: NBA Rescinds Lakers’ Luka Doncic Technical That Led to Ejection

Former Lakers Champion Rick Fox Reveals Why he Spurned Celtics' $32 Million Offer

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.