LeBron James ‘looking forward’ to playing on Team USA with Anthony Davis
11 HRS AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
With the Olympics fast approaching, Team USA Expand
11 HRS AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
With the Olympics fast approaching, Team USA will feature LeBron James and Anthony Davis as America aims to dominate in Paris. The Lakers are preparing for their first round matchup against the Denver Nuggets, but basketball always has multiple moving parts happening simultaneously.
While the most important goal is winning an NBA title, USA Basketball is full steam ahead, making plans for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. They officially announced the 12-player on Apr. 17 and Lakers LeBron James and Anthony Davis made the list.
This Summer: 6 and 14 are back. pic.twitter.com/cb3xiBbbNn— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 17, 2024
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that these two Lakers making the team, but the jersey unveiling and statement from USA Basketball made it official.
Following the Lakers' last practice in Los Angeles before heading to Denver for the opening round of the Collapse
Darvin Ham says win over Pelicans ‘revealed a lot’ about Lakers heading into playoffs
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers beating the Pelicans in the play-in told Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers beating the Pelicans in the play-in told Darvin Ham a lot about where the Lakers currently stand. The Lakers were able to pull out the win against the Pelicans on Tuesday 110-106, securing themselves as the seventh seed.
The Lakers' victory was far from a given, as they didn't secure it until the closing seconds.
After the game, head coach Darvin Ham discussed his biggest takeaways after such a hard-fought win.
"Just the grit," Ham said. "The grit of our group. Had a little bit of a cushion, they start making…their run, threw some heavy blows at us. We kept fighting back. Meet force with force. Blessing to Willie and his staff, his crew. That's a hard, hard ball club to play. Their length, their athleticism, their skill, their ability to shoot the ball, Zion and his nonstop relentlessness and attacking downhill.
That's a hell of a team we just got past. But it revealed a lot about us and what we're made of. The way these Collapse
Anthony Davis says he was still dealing with back spasms vs. Pelicans, expects to be 100% vs. Nuggets
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Anthony Davis was hobbled against the Pelicans, but Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Anthony Davis was hobbled against the Pelicans, but now he can rest and prepare for the Nuggets on Saturday. On Tuesday, the Lakers needed a win against the Pelicans to gain the seventh seed and secure their spot in the playoffs. It was close down the stretch, but the Lakers took care of business, winning 110-106.
The good news for the Lakers is that they’ll continue their hunt for another Larry O’Brien trophy. The bad news is that Davis is still dealing with back spasms he suffered in Sunday’s regular-season finale, which clearly impacted him during Tuesday’s game as well.
“It’s good that we won tonight, get a couple to get it back right,” Davis said postgame. “Did feel it tonight, a lot of jumping and stuff. Not sure if anyone has had back spasms, but it’s tough. Trying to keep it as loose as possible. It’s the constant moving, twisting and turning, stuff like that kind of limited me a little bit but still tried to go out there and be Collapse
3 takeaways from Lakers play-in win over Pelicans
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers gutted out a tough win versus the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers gutted out a tough win versus the Pelicans to punch their ticket to the NBA playoffs. It certainly wasn’t the cleanest path to victory that the Lakers took in securing their play-in win on Tuesday over the Pelicans, 110-106.
The Lakers were in complete control, up 80-68, when LeBron James took a breather with 2:14 left in the third quarter. The Pelicans closed the period with an 8-3 run that gave them a puncher’s chance heading into the fourth.
New Orleans took their shot and evened the game with 3:43 left in the game and, suddenly, it was nervous time for Los Angeles.
Thanks to late rebounds from Anthony Davis, huge baskets from D’Angelo Russell and an unfortunate injury to Zion Williamson along with Brandon Ingram still returning from his own, the Lakers survived and advanced.
The rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals is now set. The Lakers will face the Nuggets in the first round, starting on Saturday in Collapse
Lakers survive Pelicans rally, secure No. 7 seed with play-in win
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers limped to the finish line on Tuesday but Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers limped to the finish line on Tuesday but got the job done in New Orleans to secure a play-in win and the No. 7 seed. The Lakers outlasted a frantic Pelicans comeback and a back-and-forth fourth quarter to secure a second-straight win in New Orleans and earn the No. 7 seed, 110-106.
LeBron James had another epic night, scoring 23 points with nine rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two blocks. It was a slow night for Anthony Davis, who scored 20 points on 6-16 shooting and grabbed 15 rebounds, though he did knock down a pair of clutch free throws late.
D’Angelo Russell pitched in 21 points and six assists. Austin Reaves scored 16 points and Rui Hachimura's reliability continued with 13 points.
Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince had productive games off the bench. Gabe had his best game as a Laker, scoring nine points and Taurean notched six points with four rebounds.
The Pelicans struck first with a quick four-point lead, Collapse
LeBron James, Anthony Davis reportedly part of finalized USA Basketball roster
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
While the playoffs are the focus of the near Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
While the playoffs are the focus of the near future, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are reportedly locks for the USA Basketball team in the Olympics this summer. It appears Team USA is back in the business of creating Dream Teams.
According to simultaneous reports from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN and Shams Charania of The Athletic, USA Basketball has finalized 11 of its 12 roster spots for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are part of that roster.
ESPN Sources: USA Basketball is finalizing its 2024 Paris Olympics roster with Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Team may initially keep one open spot. pic.twitter.com/kO7TREBVDK— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2024
Sources with @joevardon: Team USA is finalizing 11 of its 12-man Olympic roster:LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Collapse
What is the history of the No. 8 seed in the first play-in game?
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers are in the play-in as the eight seed, but Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers are in the play-in as the eight seed, but what does history tell us about their odds of winning that game? The Lakers ended the season on a high, relatively speaking, and reached the eighth seed after a blowout win over the Pelicans on Sunday, setting up a rematch two days later in the play-in game.
The Lakers should feel good about their odds of defeating the Pelicans, given their most recent blowout and having beaten this team in three of their four head-to-head games by an average of 25.6 points.
However, what does play-in history tell us about who comes out on top of the seventh-seed versus eight-seed matchup?
Since the NBA adopted the Page–McIntyre system for the play-in back in 2021, the eighth seed has lost five of the six games against the seventh seed. The only victory for the lower seed came last year when the Trae Young-led Atlanta Hawks beat the Miami Heat 116-105.
The reason for this is clear; if you are the Collapse
Should the Lakers throw the play-in game against the Pelicans?
4 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
With a seemingly more favorable path as the No 8 seed, the Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
With a seemingly more favorable path as the No 8 seed, the question has arisen about whether the Lakers should throw their play-in game against the Pelicans. No. Collapse
Anthony Davis has ‘no doubt’ he’ll play against Pelicans in play-in game
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers had a bit of a scare late in Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers had a bit of a scare late in their blowout win over the Pelicans, but it sounds like Anthony Davis will be available for Tuesday’s game in New Orleans. Almost everything went the Lakers way on Sunday as they thoroughly dominated the Pelicans en route to a comfortable 124-108 win, securing the eighth seed and a rematch in New Orleans on Tuesday.
It wasn’t a perfect day, however, as Anthony Davis gingerly walked off the court in the final minutes. AD was holding his lower back and attempted to stretch it out at the scorer’s table before slowly walking to the locker room as the Lakers closed out their win.
Fortunately, it appears there is nothing to worry about.
Postgame, AD said his back locked up after a shove on a rebound attempt but was adamant he would be available on Tuesday.
“No doubt that I’m going to play” he says of Tuesday. https://t.co/YpUzEaTGG5— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 14, 2024
Similarly, Collapse
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Lakers expected to have ‘serious interest’ in Trae Young if Hawks are open to trade
11 HRS AGO - Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers love to go big fish hunting and Trae Expand
11 HRS AGO - Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers love to go big fish hunting and Trae Young could be one of the stars they chase in the upcoming offseason. When the Lakers held their chips at the trade deadline, it came with the explicit reasoning of going even bigger this offseason. Vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said as much publicly and while he may not have named names, the implication was the Lakers would go big fish hunting.
The playoffs will likely determine who those fish may be, but one name that’s almost certainly going to be among them is Trae Young. The Hawks’ attempt at building around Dejounte Murray and Young has failed with the team often looking better with just one of the two available this season.
While the Lakers certainly had long conversations about Murray this year, it’s Young who is the bigger fish of the two. And if the Hawks did plan on splitting the pair up, as many have suggested, the Lakers may be at the front of the line Collapse
Austin Reaves, Darvin Ham credited Gabe Vincent’s defense, toughness vs. Pelicans
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images
Gabe Vincent has been sensational for the Lakers since Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images
Gabe Vincent has been sensational for the Lakers since returning from knee surgery and saved his best game for the play-in. For the Lakers to beat the Pelicans, it took an all-hands-on-deck approach from the entire roster. Starters like Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell stepped up big, which was needed with Anthony Davis limited dealing with back spasms.
The starting lineup deserves most of the credit for the win, but Gabe Vincent was sensational coming off the bench.
He led the second string with nine points on 50% shooting from the field and was elite defending on and off the ball. Vincent did all the dirty work needed to ensure the Lakers wouldn’t have to play another play-in matchup on Friday.
Gabe Vincent and AD completely stonewalled the Pelicans offense pic.twitter.com/XK5lTUHNep— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) April 17, 2024
His numbers may not look impressive on the box score, but his impact is clear to Collapse
Schedule for Lakers vs. Nuggets first round playoff series
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
After winning their play-in game against the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images
After winning their play-in game against the Pelicans, the Lakers are set to play the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs. Here’s a look at the complete series schedule. The Lakers made it a perfect 3-for-3 in the play-in with a win against the Pelicans on Tuesday, securing the No. 7 seed a spot in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Unfortunately, what awaits them is a rematch with the Denver Nuggets in the first round. No team has had the Lakers number more than the defending champions. Last season, Denver swept the purple and gold out of the playoffs and followed it up by sweeping the season series this year.
Dating back to 2022, the Nuggets have an eight-game win streak over the Lakers. It’s an enormous road block standing in front of the Lakers, but one the team is going to have to clear at some point if a title is the end goal.
It will certainly be the premier series of the first round of the NBA playoffs. And if Collapse
Non Lakers Play-in Game: Discussion Thread
2 DAYS AGO - Will the Kings or the Warriors face the Pelicans? | Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Will the Kings or the Warriors face the Pelicans? | Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
What teams will be the 8th seed to face the Thunder? This is a quick discussion thread for the remaining play-in games.
The Lakers beat the Pelicans and will face the Nuggets in the first round.
That leaves the Kings vs. Warriors in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game and then the winner will face the Pelicans for the 8th seed in New Orleans.
I will update this more a little later but have at it folks. Discuss the Warriors vs Kings below. Collapse
LeBron James says he feels physically better than he did last year entering postseason
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
With the Lakers heading into the postseason, LeBron Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
With the Lakers heading into the postseason, LeBron James is ready and healthier than last year for the Lakers. With the Lakers ready to begin their playoff push against the New Orleans Pelicans, the team finds themselves in a similar situation, relying heavily on the play of LeBron James.
This is par the course of a James-led team. He’s always the epicenter of every team he’s a part of. Even at age 39, this Lakers team depends on him just as much as any Cavs or Heat team did during his tenure.
Anthony Davis may be making the case as the team’s 1A, but at worst, James is 1B, and they’ll need both healthy and ready to go if they’re going to beat the odds and win the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game.
Davis’ status for the play-in is questionable after exiting Sunday’s game with back spasms, but not only is LeBron probable, he feels better than last season.
“Better than I did at the end of the season last year going into the postseason,” James Collapse
Lakers vs. Pelicans Preview and Game Thread: A rematch in the play-in
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers can secure the seventh seed in the Western Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers can secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a win over the Pelicans in a rematch of the regular season finale. The Lakers have reached the postseason and will now play the New Orleans Pelicans in the first play-in game on the road Tuesday.
The stakes are clear: if the Lakers win, they earn the seventh seed and will play the Denver Nuggets in the first round starting Saturday. If they lose, they’ll host the winner of the No. 9 vs No. 10 game on Friday in Los Angeles for the eighth seed.
Start time and TV schedule
Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
When: 4:30 p.m. PT, Apr 14.
Where: Smoothie King Center
Watch: TNT/TruTV
The Lakers have been on a roll recently, winning back-to-back games and seven of their last ten. They have been in playoff mode for weeks and have solidified their rotation. The starters have long been LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell Collapse
3 reasons why the Lakers should want to play the Nuggets in the first round
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
To get to the Finals, the Lakers are Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
To get to the Finals, the Lakers are likely to have to go through Denver at some point. There are a few reasons to believe doing so sooner rather than later stands to benefit them. By clawing their way to the West’s eighth seed, the Lakers have earned a rematch with the Pelicans and a chance to punch their ticket into the playoffs. While a loss would leave them with a do-or-die game against the winner of Warriors-Kings to win their way into the postseason, a dub would lock them into the seventh seed...matched up against the second-seeded Denver Nuggets.
Facing the Nuggets might seem like a worst-case scenario for fans hoping to see as many Laker games as possible this season, especially given the fact that the Nuggets have won eight straight matchups dating back to 2022, including a four-game sweep in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. However, if a championship remains the Lakers’ ultimate goal, the team should prefer the Collapse
Lakers assistant coach Jordan Ott to interview with Hornets
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
One of Darvin Ham’s top assistants, Jordan Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
One of Darvin Ham’s top assistants, Jordan Ott, will reportedly be interviewing for the Hornets vacant head coach position. One of the Lakers top assistants in Jordan Ott looks reportedly primed for an interview with one of the few — for now — job openings in the NBA. The Hornets have spent recent weeks conducting interviews after it was announced that Steve Clifford would be stepping down at season’s end.
Ott will be among the next group of candidates to receive an interview, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
ESPN Sources: The Charlotte Hornets’ coaching search continues with preliminary round interviews that include Lakers assistant Jordan Ott and former Vanderbilt and Raptors G-League coach Jerry Stackhouse.— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 15, 2024
Charlotte is casting a very large net, so it’s certainly indicative of anything in and of itself that Ott is interviewing with the franchise. But it is certainly a Collapse
Lakers finish as eighth seed, will face Pelicans in play-in game
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
After a wild finish to the season, the Lakers ended Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
After a wild finish to the season, the Lakers ended the season as the eighth seed and will have a rematch against the Pelicans in the play-in game. In one of the most exciting finishes to the season in recent NBA history, the Lakers have come out of the madness as the eighth seed and will play the Pelicans in a rematch of Sunday’s decisive win for the purple and gold.
A whole lot changed over the final week of the regular season to get to this point. Injuries and illness to LeBron James and Anthony Davis led to a pair of losses to the Timberwolves and Warriors, taking control of their destiny out of the hands of the Lakers.
With both healthy and back firing at full strength, the Lakers survived against the Grizzlies on Friday before having both the Pelicans-Warriors and Suns-Kings results go their way. By night’s end, the Lakers were back in the No. 8 seed and in control of their fate.
All they needed on Sunday was a win over the Pelicans Collapse
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Darvin Ham says Lakers ‘feel comfortable’ heading into playoff series vs. Nuggets
15 HRS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Despite losing eight in a row to the Nuggets, Expand
15 HRS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Despite losing eight in a row to the Nuggets, Darvin Ham and the Lakers are ready to take on the challenge. The Lakers beat the Pelicans 110-106 in Tuesday’s play-in game to secure the No. 7 seed and will now face the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
This matchup is one of the most interesting to begin the NBA playoffs. In the past eight contests, the Lakers have failed to beat the Nuggets, getting swept in the regular season in last year's Western Conference.
The success of Denver and the failures of Los Angeles have created the type of tension and storytelling you find in a wrestling arc. You have Denver fans claiming to be the Lakers' daddy, a boisterous coach taking shots at the Lakers any chance he's near a mic and a star in Nikola Jokić who seems uninterested in it all.
In all the hoopla, the Lakers have taken notice and responded with a vintage cryptic Instagram post by LeBron James and Anthony Davis calling the end of last Collapse
Austin Reaves says LeBron James thanked teammates in locker room for pulling team to win
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers' win on Tuesday required an Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers' win on Tuesday required an all-hands-on-deck approach and LeBron James understood how important his teammates were in the victory. The Lakers once led by as many as 18 points during their play-in matchup against the Pelicans. In the fourth, however, they found themselves in a close game, tied at 99 with 1:32 to go.
In clutch time, the Lakers needed everyone to come up big and they delivered. D’Angelo Russell hit a clutch 3-pointer in the corner, Anthony Davis had a big rebound followed by a pair of free throws and Reaves hit his shots from the charity stripe as well to secure the victory. This result marks the first time a Western Conference team won the No.7 vs No. 8 matchup as the eighth seed.
The locker room was full of positive vibes after the Lakers punched their ticket to the playoffs. Austin Reaves talked about the appreciation Lebron James demonstrated to his teammates after the win.
“I don’t want to say Bron Collapse
Players Grades: Lakers vs. Pelicans
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 110-106 play-in win over the Pelicans. Name a more iconic duo than the Lakers beating the Pelicans in must-win games this season.
First, they embarrassed them in the In-Season Tournament so badly that it became a turning point in the season. Then, in the regular season finale with both teams needing to win to secure their seeds, the Lakers again won convincingly to drop the Pelicans down to the play-in games.
Then, in the biggest of the three do-or-die games of the season, the Lakers again came away victorious. It was the closest of the three games and New Orleans threw a lot at the Lakers late, but they had an answer for everything down the stretch and hit some big shots.
Now, there’s a real chance the Pelicans will go from the No. 6 seed to out of the playoffs because of the Lakers.
This does send the Lakers into the playoffs with a matchup against the Nuggets, which may or may Collapse
Lakers to play Nuggets in first round after play-in win over Pelicans
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers survived a late rally against the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Lakers survived a late rally against the Pelicans on Tuesday to win the play-in, secure the No. 7 seed and set up a rematch with the Nuggets in the playoffs. The Lakers are set for another meeting against the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs, for better or for worse, following a 110-106 win over the Pelicans on Tuesday in the play-in game. The victory on the road in New Orleans secured the team the No. 7 seed.
Despite winning their way into the playoffs and becoming just the second No. 8 seed to beat a No. 7 seed in the play-in game, the Lakers will now be rewarded with a series against the team that most has their number. Dating back to 2022 and including the postseason, Denver has won eight straight games over the purple and gold.
The Lakers had a wild ending to the season, losing and gaining control of their destiny in the final week of the season. After a gut-punch loss to the Warriors, the Lakers were given a lifeline with Golden Collapse
Why the battle of the paint could determine who secures the seventh seed between Lakers and Pelicans
2 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
When the Lakers and Pelicans face off again on Tuesday, they Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
When the Lakers and Pelicans face off again on Tuesday, they will do so knowing that the former has dominated the interior in every matchup. Will the trend continue? Above everything else, the playoffs are about matchups. That gaudy record, those all-stars, the odds, teams can toss them out the window if they run into an opponent who has their number. And for the most part, everyone has and knows the identity of their boogeyman.
It’s unknown where the New Orleans Pelicans’ confidence level was heading into their game on Sunday, but behind a deluge of dunks and bulldozing drives to the cup, the Lakers made sure they sapped it by the time the final buzzer rang.
The bullies from Los Angeles came into the Smoothie King Center seeing red. With three lopsided wins over the Pelicans already this season with an average margin of victory of 25.6 points, the Lakers had memorized the formula for beating New Orleans front and back. The game plan was simple Collapse
Was it a mistake for the Lakers to remain pat at the trade deadline in hindsight?
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers held pat at the trade deadline and then Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images
The Lakers held pat at the trade deadline and then finished in the play-in spots. Did they make a mistake by not adding to the roster in hindsight? The Lakers made the best of what started as a bad situation earlier in the week over the weekend, winning their final two games of the season and taking advantage of the help given to them to finish as the No. 8 seed.
Certainly coming into the season, the No. 8 seed felt something much closer to worst-case scenario than a realistic one. It was evident for quite a while that things weren’t going according to plan this season, but did the Lakers make a mistake by not changing things up sooner?
That was among the handful of questions received in this week’s mailbag. Let’s dive into what you guys want to talk about.
Raison d'Basketball
Would anyone who argued it was good to stand pat at the deadline like to reconsider, at least in hindsight?
Tot be honest, this hasn’t been a thought I Collapse
Report: Jarred Vanderbilt’s return for play-in unlikely, first round possible
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Jarred Vanderbilt continues Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Jarred Vanderbilt continues progressing, but nothing has been solidified regarding a return date for the Lakers' elite wing defender. The Lakers are preparing for postseason basketball, having finished the regular season strong by winning seven of their last ten to secure the eighth seed and a matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans in the play-in.
Los Angeles appears to be peaking at the right time, but the biggest question regarding the roster is still Jarred Vanderbilt's return.
Official updates from the team have been few and far between, but Jovan Buha of The Athletic gave one during a recent live stream.
“I’ve been told that Vando has ramped up his conditioning into light jogging, but he has not returned to on-court contact activity yet, which means he’s not going to play Sunday in New Orleans. Even playing in the play-in seems unlikely. So if Vando returns, it’s appearing as if it’s going to have to be in the first Collapse
Players Grades: Lakers vs. Pelicans
4 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Grading every Lakers player’s performance from the team’s 124-108 win over the Pelicans. Any concerns that existed about how the Lakers would approach Sunday’s game were immediately wiped away in the opening minutes. From the tip, the Lakers brought a level of intensity against the Pelicans reminiscent of the In-Season Tournament semi-final.
Sure, there was a bit of a let-off late, but they built a 32-point lead and were never remotely in danger. It was as dominant of a performance as one could have hoped for and really set a tone for the team heading into the postseason.
Now, they may be set up for a first-round series against the Nuggets, but that’s a worry for the future.
For the now, the Lakers are heading into the play-in games riding a high and with plenty of confidence after beating the Pelicans multiple times in big games this year.
So, let’s grade the win. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. “A” grade represents Collapse
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