Los Angeles Lakers Schedule: Grizzlies, Pelicans, Trail Blazers Are Possible Playoff Opponents

The Los Angeles Lakers have a 5.5-game lead atop the Western Conference with just eight games on the schedule before the 2020 NBA playoffs. That means the team can narrow down its list of potential first-round opponents.

It’s all but certain that the Lakers will face the team that earns the final West playoff berth. Seven teams are mathematically in play to get that spot, but only a handful are realistic possibilities.

Let’s eliminate the improbable choices first.

The Dallas Mavericks are on the doorstep of clinching a playoff berth, sitting seven games ahead of the No.8 seed in the standings. Even if Dallas somehow manages to go 0-8 in Orlando, Florida, they’ll likely finish the season as the No.7 seed.

The play-in tournament gives the No.13 seed Phoenix Suns hope, but that could go away very quickly. Phoenix is six games out of the No.8 seed with four teams ahead of them that are trying to climb into the playoff picture.

That includes the No.12 seed San Antonio Spurs, who are long shots to make the postseason. Not only is San Antonio four games out of the playoffs, but they won’t have LaMarcus Aldridge for the rest of the season.

The No.8 seed Memphis Grizzlies are 3.5 games ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings. Memphis is the frontrunner with some work to do in Orlando.

If the No.8 seed finishes fewer than four games ahead of the No.9 seed, they’ll meet in a two-game series with a playoff berth on the line. The No.8 seed only needs to defeat the No.9 seed once. The No.9 seed must win two straight games over the No.8 seed in order to reach the playoffs.

The Lakers have defeated the Grizzlies three times in four tries. Ja Morant has averaged 21.5 points and 6.3 assists per game against Los Angeles.

Portland might give L.A. its biggest challenge. Damian Lillard has averaged 36.0 points, 9.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game against the Lakers. The Blazers went 1-2 in those contests.

Anthony Davis has dominated his former team, averaging 36.0, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game in three victories over New Orleans. Davis missed the last matchup as LeBron James had a 34-point triple-double in a 122-114 win. Zion Williamson scored 35 points on 16 field-goal attempts.

The Lakers are 2-0 against the Kings. Sacramento is considered to be much more unlikely than Portland or New Orleans to make the playoffs.