The Los Angeles Lakers have had as turbulent a season as any team in the NBA this year. From the weird start, to the injuries sustained by their stars, to plenty of other odd instances that have all made their season an odd one, this journey has been a bumpy ride. This is reflected in their record this year. They are currently 37-29 with a +2.6 net rating. They are currently tied with the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference heading into a Friday meeting with the Blazers.
The 6th seed seems like a better place for any team to end up, whether it is because of the utility of being higher or because it means they get to avoid the play-in. However, this year, the 7th seed might be the most beneficial. The Lakers getting the 7th seed would make for a better first round matchup for them, a better path for a few other teams, and the potential for a LA-centric Western Conference Finals.
Here's why the Lakers can reconsider their position.
Let's look at why the LA Clippers, the top half of the West bracket, and the NBA fan base as a whole should — along with the Lake Show — hope the Lakers get the No. 7 seed instead of the 6 seed.
The Lakers' Case
The LA Lakers reason for wanting the 7th seed is entirely matchup based. The LA Clippers are .5 games ahead of the Nuggets for the 3rd seed, but projected to end up with that seed according to RAPTOR projection models. Even if the Clippers do fall to the 4th seed, the Nuggets could be a nightmare matchup for the Lakers. Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the NBA this season and they run a pace and space offense that could destroy the Lakers' deep drop. The Clippers are, perhaps, the championship favorites this season and avoiding a first round matchup with them should absolutely be the priority. The Lakers do not have to tank for the 7th seed either, the Trail Blazers are playing good basketball and the Lakers could take the opportunity to rest their players and keep them healthy for the playoffs.
The LA Clippers' Case
The Clippers case is similar to the Lakers' in that they desperately do not want to face off in the first round. The Clippers should make quick work of the Portland Trailblazers in the first round because they are a perfect matchup. The Trail Blazers have no one to matchup with Kawhi Leonard or Paul George and the Clippers have a lot of bodies to throw at the Blazers' stars. Getting a breezy matchup in the first round would be huge for a team like the Clippers and would give them an extra leg up on the Lakers, who would have to play the excellent Phoenix Suns before a potential matchup with the Clippers.
The Top Half of the Bracket's Case
The top half of the bracket are likely the most ardent supporters of the Lakers falling to the 7th seed. Not that the Lakers are likely to end up in the top end anyways, but more that the Lakers and Clippers playing in the second round would do better to make them tired before one of those teams got to the Western Conference Finals. The top of the bracket is going to be absolutely wide open, the Jazz are the presumptive favorites, but the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks might have something to say about that. Those three teams could all make a run to the Finals if things truly fall in their favor. Fatigue is a real thing in the playoffs and the two LA teams fighting it out in the second round could take a lot out of them, which could leave them vulnerable for one of the three teams to strike and sneak into the finals.
The NBA's Case
The NBA's worst nightmare for a season like this would be the two LA teams playing in the first round of the playoffs. These are two of the biggest and best teams in the league in their second biggest market. The NBA has had a tough year revenue wise, as has every single major sport due to the pandemic. A really good Battle for LA series could be huge for the NBA, but a lot less huge if it is in the first round. Plenty of casual fans hardly watch the first round of the playoffs in the first place and ratings don't really explode until the second round. The NBA would benefit heavily from the Lakers and Clippers facing off in the second round at the very earliest, though a conference finals between the two LA powerhouses is the dream for all NBA executives.
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