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LeBron James, Lakers Hyped as Scary 8 Seed by NBA Fans After Rout vs. Zion, Pelicans


Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are one win away from the postseason.

The team locked up the No. 8 overall seed in the West and a Play-In Tournament matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans after beating the Pels 124-108 on Sunday.

LeBron James concluded the regular season in style, finishing with a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound triple-double in the victory. There will be concerns after Anthony Davis left the game in the fourth quarter, limping off the court and clearly in pain. The team's postseason odds take an enormous hit if he's not healthy.

But if he's healthy and thriving, the Lakers have the makings of a very dangerous team. Folks on social media certainly believe as much:

Here's why Sunday's win was so important. With the victory, the Lakers now only have to win one Play-In game—with a second chance to do so if they lose to the Pelicans on Tuesday—to reach the postseason. Losing would have risked a drop to the No. 9 or 10 seed, where they would have had to win two straight games to get in.

The danger in winning the first Play-In game is that the 2-seeded Denver Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, would await in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers have lost eight straight games to the Nuggets dating back to last season.

The danger in not beating the Pelicans on Tuesday is that either the Sacramento Kings or Golden State Warriors would be waiting in the second Play-In Tournament game. The Lakers went 0-4 against Sacramento this season and 1-3 against the Dubs.

So while a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder would be preferable to another matchup with the Nuggets, the Lakers would risk missing out on the postseason altogether in a matchup against the Kings or Warriors.

Come this point in the season, every team faces tough matchups and opponents. The Lakers—who are riding high after winning 11 of their past 14 games—aren't going to sandbag a Play-In Tournament game. They'll be playing for keeps against the Pels again on Tuesday.

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