The NBA standings are still very much in flux with another 20-odd games to go this season. Still, with the playoffs looming on the horizon, the standings will start to solidify soon enough as teams lock in and prepare for some of their best basketball of the year.<\/p>\n
Today, fourth in the West, most Lakers fans are feeling optimistic about their title chances<\/a>, and they have every reason to be. With Luka Doncic<\/a>, Austin Reaves<\/a>, and LeBron James<\/a>, they have a core group that\u2019s capable of competing against anyone, and they\u2019ve shown that at various points throughout the season. Still, in a crowded Western Conference, not every seed is built equally, and you can\u2019t help but wonder what situation would be the best for Los Angeles.<\/p>\n At 40-25, a top-two seed is already out of reach for the Lakers<\/a>, given they are 8.5 games back from the Spurs. They are also highly unlikely to fall to eight in the West, with a seven-game lead over the Clippers<\/a>. That means the Purple and Gold could end up anywhere from third to seventh.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Nightmare Scenario (7 Seed)<\/p>\n The Lakers have been steadily in the top six for most of the season, but there\u2019s still a world where they can fall into play-in range. Currently, the Suns<\/a> are only 1.5 games back in the standings, meaning one more losing streak could be enough to jeopardize the Lakers\u2019 playoff positioning. While the Lakers would be heavily favored in a play-in game, there is no guarantee they\u2019d win against a team like the Clippers<\/a>, Warriors<\/a>, or Trail Blazers<\/a>.<\/p>\n If the Lakers do manage to advance to the first round, they\u2019d only be met with the prospect of battling either the Thunder or Spurs, who have been two of the best teams in the league. The Purple and Gold have struggled against younger, more athletic teams before, and there\u2019s no question they\u2019d be heavily outmatched against a superior opponent.<\/p>\n Whatever the Lakers do, they must avoid this scenario at all costs. It would be a disaster to their title hopes and the ultimate mark of a failed season. Fortunately, as they get healthier down the stretch<\/a>, the Lakers should have no problem staying in the top six.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2. The Wild Card (4 or 5 Seed)<\/p>\n While fourth or fifth in the West might seem okay on paper, it\u2019s actually one of the toughest possible roads for the Lakers. While they\u2019d at least avoid the Thunder and Spurs in the first round, they\u2019d likely end up facing the Denver Nuggets<\/a>, an opponent that\u2019s beaten them several times in the playoffs already. The Lakers would have no answer for Nikola Jokic<\/a>, likely ending in an early playoff exit. If they don\u2019t have home-court advantage, it will worsen their chances even further.<\/p>\n Even if they get past that series, the Lakers would most likely have to face the Thunder in the second round, who would still be fresh after (presumably) dominating the previous series. OKC currently has the best record in the league (51-15), and they\u2019re arguably the toughest team to beat right now with star power, depth, and seamless chemistry.<\/p>\n Even if they were somehow to beat Oklahoma City, they\u2019d be rewarded with a showdown against an even tougher opponent: Victor Wembanyama<\/a> and the Spurs<\/a> in the Western Conference Finals. There\u2019s no way the Lakers are going to beat the three best teams (and the three best players) in the West on their own, and that\u2019s why this path doesn\u2019t really favor their success.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 1. Most Ideal Road (3 or 6 Seed)<\/p>\n Even finishing sixth would be better than most alternatives this season. With the top two seeds already set (between the Thunder and Spurs), the Lakers\u2019 best chance of a successful playoff run is to avoid them for as long as they can. That\u2019s only possible if they land on the other side of the bracket, either third or sixth in the standings. In that scenario, the Lakers would likely match up against either the Rockets<\/a>\u00a0or Timberwolves<\/a> in the first round, all of whom are more beatable than the top two teams.<\/p>\n