NBA Playoff Rooting Guide for Tuesday, April 5: Western Conference Play-In Scenarios
By Reed Wallach
The Western Conference playoff picture is starting to take shape with an unlikely team falling out of the race.
The Los Angeles Lakers can be eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday night with a pair of results, while the San Antonio Spurs can clinch the final playoff spot ahead of the NBA Play-In Tournament.
Let's check out the bottom of the Western Conference playoff scenarios ahead of Tuesday night's loaded NBA Slate.
Western Conference Playoff Standings
- No. 9 Seed: New Orleans Pelicans, 34-44, --
- No. 10 Seed: San Antonio Spurs, 33-45, 1 GB
- No. 11 Seed: Los Angeles Lakers, 31-47, 3 GB
New Orleans Pelicans Fans are Rooting For A Win or Lakers Loss
With either of the aforementioned results coming through, the Pelicans wiill be bound for the Play-In Game.
Currently, the No. 9 seed in the West, up a game on the Spurs and 3 on the Lakers, the Pelicans need to take care of business as 8.5-point road favorites against the Kings or hope for a Lakers loss to the Suns to lock up a postseason berth.
San Antonio Spurs Fans are Rooting For a Win AND Lakers Loss
It's not as simple as the Pelicans path, but the Spurs can clinch a playoff spot on Tuesday with a win against the Nuggets and a Lakers loss to the Suns.
San Antonio's magic number is two either way, whether it is wins or losses by the Lakers.
It's worth noting that the Spurs have the tiebreaker against the Pelicans, who they trail by one game but won 3 of the 4 regular season meetings. If San Antonio upsets the Nuggets tonight and the Pelicans fall, the two will swap spots in the 9/10 spot.
Los Angeles Lakers Fans are Rooting for a Win AND Spurs Loss
The Lakers are running out of options, but they aren't out of it just yet. While it will be a tall task, the team needs to win against the Suns as 11.5-point underdogs possibly without LeBron James and hope for a Spurs loss.
That would separate the two by one game with 3 to play for each team, setting up for an eventful final week.
As noted above, Los Angeles can be eliminated on Tuesday with a loss and a Spurs win.
Looking for Masters Content? Check out our betting preview!