Lakers Fight to Avoid Play-In
The Lakers are battling to avoid the play-in tournament with a tough schedule of 18 games left, mostly against direct playoff competitors [https://trib.al/bw6zgiA, https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/lakers-analysis/110174/lakers-reacts-playoff-standings-western-conference-nuggets-suns]. Meanwhile, the Clippers reached .500 for the first time since November after defeating the Knicks 126-118 [https://www.ocregister.com/2026/03/09/clippers-take-down-knicks-to-reach-500-for-1st-time-since-early-november/, https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/leonard-powers-clippers-past-knicks-044745557.html]. What specific strategies are the Lakers using to improve their playoff chances?
The Lakers' remaining schedule is considered among the tougher ones in the league. They will face opponents like the Thunder, Celtics, Rockets, and Nuggets multiple times. However, the Nuggets and Timberwolves, who are also vying for playoff positioning, have even more difficult schedules. The NBA Play-In Tournament, which the Lakers are trying to avoid, involves the teams finishing 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th and 8th seeds play each other, with the winner securing the 7th playoff seed. The loser gets another chance against the winner of the 9th vs. 10th seed game. The winner of that final game earns the 8th seed. If the season ended today, the Lakers would be the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference. Their playoff odds are currently at 95.24%. They are 37-24. To thrive in the playoffs, the Lakers need Rui Hachimura to be an elite "3-and-D" player. The Lakers have struggled with inconsistent lineups due to injuries to key players like LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Health will be a major priority for the team as they head into the final stretch of the season.
