After defeating the Mavericks 112-97 on Wednesday, the Lakers officially clinched a playoff berth. This is the first time the Lakers have avoided the play-in and moved straight into the playoffs since 2020.
The Lakers had to take part in the play-in game in 2021, 2023 and 2024. Each season, they advanced without a loss, but then had to turn around and play a top seed immediately to start their playoff run.
While they still might technically face a higher seed in the opening round, securing a playoff berth is the first step to reaching the ultimate goal.
JJ Redick has now won 49 games and counting during his first year as Lakers head coach. This is the team’s best record since the 2020 title year.
By automatically making the playoffs, the Lakers will not have to win a single-elimination game to reach the postseason. For L.A.’s season to end, someone must beat LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić four times in a seven-game series.
This automatic spot in the postseason will also give them some much-needed rest.
The NBA regular season ends for the Lakers on April 13 and with the playoffs starting the following weekend, Los Angeles will get at least five full days off before they begin postseason action.
Had they been forced to participate in the play-in, they could’ve had a play-in game as early as April 15, giving them just one day off between the regular season and play-in action.
Given the Lakers’ many injuries this season, some rest is a huge plus, almost as important as guaranteeing themselves a full series.
With a few games left and tiebreakers over others in the West, the Lakers’ position in the playoffs is far from set. However, they can now finish no lower than sixth and can still end up as high as third.
We might not know who they will play or if they’ll have home court, but Los Angeles will now officially have something to say about who comes out of the Western Conference this year.
