The Lakers have become accustomed to the Play-In Tournament. In 2021, they bested the Golden State Warriors in the initial round to secure the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.
Fast forward two years, and once more, the Lakers clinched the 7th seed, this time triumphing over the Timberwolves.
Despite hopes of finishing with a top-six record this 2023-24 season, the Lakers are increasingly likely to find themselves battling for a playoff spot in the Play-In Tournament.
As of now, the Lakers stand at 41-33, holding the ninth-best record in the Western Conference. They currently lead the 10th-seeded Warriors by 1.5 games and trail the eighth-seeded Kings by the same margin.
With eight games remaining, five of which are away, the Lakers are set for a challenging end to the season. However, there’s a silver lining in their schedule.
They have the sixth-easiest schedule left, based on the combined winning percentage of their opponents. Notably, the next three games pit them against teams with losing records.
Adding to their advantage, Tankathon’s stats reveal that the Phoenix Suns, the top seed in the West, face the toughest remaining schedule with all their eight games against winning teams.
As of March 28, Basketball-Reference’s Playoff Probabilities Report gives the Lakers a 40.8 percent chance of clinching a playoff spot.
The simulations suggest that the most probable outcomes are finishing as the No. 9 seed (36.0 percent) or securing the No. 8 seed (23.7 percent) through the Play-In Tournament.
Further predictions from The Ringer paint a positive picture for the Lakers, giving them a 95 percent chance of participating in the Play-In Tournament and a 39 percent chance of making it to the playoffs.
