If the Los Angeles Lakers make an unlikely run to the NBA Finals, this is likely how it will happen.
With two games left in the regular season, it’s looking more and more like the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be the sixth or seventh seed. And there’s certainly a big difference between the two. If the Lakers would be the sixth seed, they would have a whole week to begin game planning for the Sacramento Kings. They also wouldn’t have to worry about having to play their way into the playoffs. The rest would also be greatly appreciated.
We should get some clarity on where the Lakers will finish in the next few days, with the final regular season games being played on Sunday, April 9. Until then, there’s still much speculation that will be discussed. No matter where they finish though, it does seem like the Lakers have one thing going for them – the fact that they’re playing their best basketball at the right time.
The Lakers are 16-8 since the NBA Trade Deadline and have a top 3 defensive rating and top 10 net rating over that span.
It would be an unlikely run for the Los Angeles Lakers
The big question is whether or not the Lakers will be able to carry their regular season momentum into the playoffs. There are many in the media that are already jumping on the Lakers’ bandwagon. It’s easy to see why; the Lakers are relatively healthy heading into the playoffs and are playing high-level baseball.
All that said, if the Lakers did make a deep playoff run (or even just made it out of the first round), it would be extremely unprecedented. NBA upsets in the playoffs are not that common. And if the Lakers do it in multiple rounds, it’d be something we haven’t seen in the NBA in a very long time (especially from a 6th or worst seed.
But as unlikely as it may seem, this Lakers team may have all the ingredients to make it happen. If the Lakers do make an unprecedented run to the NBA Finals, here is a four-step checklist of how they can do it.