Los Angeles Lakers Will Likely Miss Play-In Tournament, 2022 NBA Playoff Odds Suggest

Things have gotten so bad for the Los Angeles Lakers that even an appearance in the 2022 NBA play-in tournament is starting to look unlikely. With seven games left in the regular season, L.A. is given a better chance than not to fall out of the top-10 in the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers have +115 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook to make the play-in tournament. With -210 odds, the San Antonio Spurs are favored to grab the play-in spot that Los Angeles is trying to clinch.

Just before it was reported Thursday that Anthony Davis will likely return to the court Friday from a foot injury, the Lakers had +165 odds to make the play-in tournament. The team that earns the final play-in spot will need to go 2-0 in the tournament in order to make the playoffs.

James, out since Sunday with the left ankle sprain, returned to LA to rehab mid-week. Both James and Davis are out vs. Utah tonight. Lakers are 1/2 game ahead of Spurs for final play-in spot and trailing Pelicans for ninth by 1.5 games ahead of Friday's meeting in LA.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2022

Los Angeles has a half-game lead over San Antonio for the No. 10 seed. The league’s third-hardest remaining schedule will make it difficult for the Lakers to stay out of 11th place in the West. The Spurs rank 11th in strength of schedule.

Five of the Lakers’ upcoming opponents, including the No. 1 overall seed Phoenix Suns, are in the playoff picture. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the only team Los Angeles plays that isn’t at least in the play-in tournament field. The Thunder are 2-1 against the Lakers this season.

Only in San Antonio’s next two games will it face a team that is not in contention. The Spurs are scheduled to host the Portland Trail Blazers Friday and Sunday. San Antonio beat Portland by 37 points on the road last week.

Portland is 2-15 over its last 17 games and tanking for a better draft pick.

With a 1.5-game lead over Los Angeles as the No. 9 seed, the New Orleans Pelicans are -6000 favorites to make the play-in tournament. The Lakers host the Pelicans Friday, five nights after losing 116-108 in New Orleans.

LeBron James scored 39 points in the loss and injured his ankle. James missed the next contest because of the injury and won’t play Thursday night against the Utah Jazz.

Davis last played on Feb. 16.