The Los Angeles Lakers’ incredible comeback in 2022–23 will live long in the memories of their supporters. The Lakers, who had started the season with a miserable 2-10 record, made personnel changes before the deadline and had an incredible run in the postseason.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the way as Los Angeles clinched the seventh seed in the Western Conference and progressed all the way to the Western Conference Finals after winning the play-in game against Minnesota. They were finally defeated by the reigning champions and the best basketball player, as we all know.
In the end, advantageous matchups played a major role in the Lakers’ unlikely playoff journey. They were able to send their competitors in the Western Conference home because to their definite advantages over the Grizzlies and Warriors. The likelihood that the Lakers will have matchup advantages in the event that they make it to the playoffs this season is growing.
Playoff matchups may once more favor the Lakers.
A club like the Lakers is in the play-in range of the standings for a reason, as Matt Moore of The Action Network points out. However, there are also circumstances that could give them the advantage over specific opponents in the postseason.
Use the Timberwolves as an illustration. Minnesota has been falling recently, after dominating the league for months on end as the top seed. Not to mention that they might not have Karl-Anthony Towns available for a potential first-round matchup against the Lakers.
Then, more matchup favorability is taken into consideration when we examine other possible opponents for LA. The Lakers can take significant advantage of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s lack of size and experience, even though they are as good as any young team in the league.
The Lakers have demonstrated this season that they can defeat any team in the West, save for the Nuggets and, to a lesser extent, the Kings. Their 7-4 record versus the Clippers, Timberwolves, and Thunder, three of the greatest teams in the conference, is proof of this. Though it’s early, there are indications that LA might take a different, more promising turn in April and May.