By defeating the New Orleans Pelicans, 110-106, on Tuesday in the play-in tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the seventh seed in the Western Conference and a playoff spot. That means they will open the playoffs against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
The Lakers have lost eight straight games to Nikola Jokic and crew dating to last January. It seems like a nightmare matchup for them this early, but there is also an argument to be made that perhaps their best shot at beating Denver would come now rather than later in the postseason.
Head coach Darvin Ham said after Tuesday’s game that it’s “back to 0-0” and that the team likes where it is right now (at 6:39).
Darvin Ham on facing the Nuggets: “They’ve had a ton of success against our ball club, but there’s always a new day. We like where we are, we like where the spirit of our group is." pic.twitter.com/ywHFrdaZYL
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 17, 2024
Los Angeles, of course, was swept in last season’s Western Conference finals by the Nuggets and hasn’t beaten them since Dec. 16, 2022. But LeBron James is healthier than he was a year ago, and the team overall seems to have a higher level of chemistry and cohesion, especially on the offensive end.