West playoff matchups set: Lakers vs. Pelicans play-in winner gets Nuggets

Two absolute blowouts on Sunday afternoon shall be rematches later within the week.

The Los Angeles Lakers turned again the clock to the In-Season Match and performed certainly one of their higher video games of the season, blowing out the Pelicans (like they did within the IST) 123-108 behind a 28-point, 17-assist, 11-rebound triple-double from LeBron James.

That units up a rematch in two days: The No. 8 seed Lakers on the No. 7 seed Pelicans within the first play-in sport. The twist: The winner will get No. 2 seed Denver within the first spherical. Would the Lakers or Pelicans dare tempt destiny and lose the primary play-in sport so they might win the second and face No. 1 seed Oklahoma Metropolis? There’s
two basic issues with that concept: 1) The crew popping out of the 9/10 sport, whether or not the Warriors or Kings, is excellent and will beat the Lakers/Pelicans; 2) Cease assuming OKC is a pushover, it is a 57-win crew with a authentic MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The Phoenix Suns crushed the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-106, setting the groups up for a 3 vs. 6 first-round matchup. Phoenix led by 22 after 1 / 4 in a sport that was by no means unsure after that, behind 36 from Bradley Beal and 23 from Devin Booker. Can Minnesota flush this sport from their thoughts by subsequent weekend, play like they did a lot of the season and make this a sequence? You recognize Kevin Durant and Booker will carry it.

Let’s break it down (the dates and occasions for the playoff sequence haven’t but been finalized).

Western Convention first-round playoff matchups

1. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder vs. 8. Play-in crew (Lakers, Pelicans, Kings, Warriors)
2. Denver Nuggets vs. 7. Play-in crew (Lakers, Pelicans)
3. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. 6. Phoenix Suns
4. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Dallas Mavericks

Western Convention Play-in video games

Tuesday, April 16
• 7/8 Sport: Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans
• 9/10 Sport: Golden State Warriors at Sacramento Kings
Friday, April 19
• Winner of 9/10 at loser of seven/8

Some preliminary ideas on the matchups:

• Oklahoma Metropolis is the No. 1 seed for the primary time since 2013, when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been on the crew.

• The Thunder are the youngest crew in NBA historical past (23.9 years) to safe a No. 1 seed.

• That’s an intense and deep group of 4 play-in groups within the West. Have a look at it this manner: The No. 7 Pelicans would have been tied with the Bucks for the No. 3 seed within the East.

• Mavericks vs. Clippers is the very best first-round matchup, no matter convention. So long as Kawhi Leonard is again wholesome, this sequence might go both approach (Leonard may have had 21 days off for his sore knee by the point Sport 1 rolls round subsequent weekend).

• The Lakers’ Anthony Davis limped off the court docket close to the top of the win over the Pelicans. Later, AD stated his again locked up on him after a shove from Larry Nance Jr. Davis additionally stated he would play on Tuesday.