Lakers Are The Pelicans Nemesis In The Season Finale As New Orleans Drops To 7th In The West, Rematch Tuesday

New Orleans had no answers for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the regular season finale. The teams will play again in Game 1 of the NBA Play-In Tournament.

After a dominant performance by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the regular season finale, New Orleans fell short with a score of 124-108. The teams are now set for a high-stakes rematch in Tuesday's Game 1 of the NBA Play-In Tournament, adding an extra layer of excitement to the upcoming event.

Although Brandon Ingram contributed 13 points in his first game action since March 21, the team appeared out of sync on offense. Defensively, they failed to prevent LeBron James from getting the basket and finding open shots for his teammates for most of the first half. James had 13 points and 13 first-half assists as Los Angeles built a 70-53 lead at halftime.

Apr 14, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14)]

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Zion Williamson (12 points) and CJ McCollum (25 points) paled compared to the previous four games, where the combo was on fire.

The Lakers await word on center Anthony Davis' prognosis after experiencing back and hip spasms in the game. Should the former Pelican miss Tuesday's match, it could help the Pelicans, who would need a win to enter the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

If New Orleans loses, they must win a play-in game to keep their postseason hopes alive.

Los Angeles will play New Orleans at 6:30 PM CT in the Smoothie King Center.

FINAL 2023-24 NBA STANDINGS

Western Conference

1. Thunder
2. Nuggets
3. Timberwolves
4. Clippers
5. Mavericks
6. Suns
7. Pelicans
8. Lakers
9. Kings
10. Warriors
11. Rockets
12. Jazz
13. Grizzlies
14. Spurs
15. Trail Blazers