All Pacers

NBA Playoffs: Damian Lillard and Trail Blazers Can Send LeBron and Lakers to the Play-in

If the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Denver Nuggets on Sunday, the Lakers will remain the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
Ben Stinar|
NBA Playoffs: Damian Lillard and Trail Blazers Can Send LeBron and Lakers to the Play-in
NBA Playoffs: Damian Lillard and Trail Blazers Can Send LeBron and Lakers to the Play-in

The Portland Trail Blazers control their own destiny during Sunday night's regular-season finale. 

The Trail Blazers (41-30) own the tiebreaker with the Los Angeles Lakers (41-30), so all they have to do is beat the Denver Nuggets and they are the sixth seed in the Western Conference. 

The only scenario where the Lakers will avoid the play-in tournament is to beat the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Trail Blazers lose to the Nuggets. 

While most did not think that the Lakers would be in this position on the last day of the regular season, the Western Conference is a battle every year and the Lakers missed LeBron James and Anthony Davis for many games earlier in the season. 

The Lakers are 8-point favorites, according to FanDuel.

The Trail Blazers are 8-point favorites, according to FanDuel.

More on the Lakers can be read here.

Related stories on NBA basketball

  • PACERS BEAT RAPTORS: The Indiana Pacers beat the Toronto Raptors 125-113 on Sunday afternoon, and the win gives them the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference. They will play the Charlotte hornets in Indiana for the first play-in game on Tuesday. CLICK HERE.
  • PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT: The NBA is having a play-in tournament for the first time this year to determine the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. Here's everything you need to know on how it works. CLICK HERE
  • RUSS MAKES NBA HISTORY: Russell Westbrook and the Wizards lost to the Hawks in Atlanta on Monday, but Westbrook got his 182nd career triple-double, the new NBA record. CLICK HERE.
  • BJORKGREN'S SEAT IS HOT: The Indiana Pacers' first-year head coach could be in jeopardy of losing his job, ESPN reports. CLICK HERE
Published
Ben Stinar
BEN STINAR

Ben Stinar is a former beat writer for AllPacers.com. He is a 2021 Hilltop30 Scholarship Fund recipient.

Home/News