Face Denver or OKC

I hate the match up against Denver because they play well against us and it’s a bad match up. However, you have to play to win these games. I’ve seen karma happen too many times to teams who lose on purpose to get a better matchup. Just not the Laker way.

But if this team is going to do anything in the playoffs, you need to have a winning mentality, not a losing mentality. I’ve never seen a team with a losing mentality win anything. That said, I don’t think this team is going to do anything anyway with Ham as the coach. So you might as well play as hard as you can to win and hope you catch some good breaks along the way.

Always play to win of course. If you win you get plenty of days off and then face Denver in a 7 game series with plenty of rest in between games since it's the first round. Last season the Lakers played them in the 3rd round and were a little gassed + less rest in between games. The altitude is already enough of a challenge so it'd be better for Lebron especially to have some rest. Plus Lebron isn't as gimpy as he was last season. Our offense is better than last season and we gave Gabe and Dinwiddie who may be able to help more than Shroder did if DLo shits the bed vs them. The games were all close games so hopefully these things can put the Lakers over the top this time.

If Lakers lose vs Pels and have to play Kings or Warriors for the 8th seed, at least the game will be at home in LA and the Kings aren't the team they were when they beat the Lakers every time this season. They're missing a key piece to that puzzle and also missing a 3pt specialist. The Warriors played the Lakers without Lebron and/or AD every time but once and that one time Lebron and AD actually played the Lakers won. But it's a one game series and anything can happen - one crazy shooting night or one injury is all it takes to get eliminated.

If the Lakers lose to Pels and beat the Warriors/Kings, they'll play the playoffs on the other side of the bracket (OKC, Clippers/Mavs). They'd have hardly any time off before needing to travel to OKC. And if they ended up making to the WCF again and Denver was there waiting then they'd have less time between games against them all over again.

If they beat the Pels and get the 7th seed they'll play in the Denver and Phoenix/Minny side of the bracket.

Definitely play tomorrows game to win but if we come off flat / NO has a once in a season type shooting game I’d take solace in knowing we get another crack and in a better pathway.

Tbh my gut tells me that NO has a phenomenal game tomorrow and that Willie Green and staff will be going over all the tape of what we did to them yesterday. Adjustments will be made and then we may be facing an uphill battle from the jump. One thing I’ve learned about Darvin as a coach is that he is in the bottom 10 percentile in terms of making adjustments. A team goes out and stops our scheme and he just claps on the sideline to do it harder like a fucking putz.

We seem to have this teams number but they have lots of shooters and I’m expecting both Ingram and Zion to be taking turns on the attack over and over right from the start. Another game where Vando would be a difference maker as he bothered BI a ton last season when we played them.

I’m pretty positive we’d play the Warriors in a 2nd Play In game and like Shao said they beat us this year without either or both Lebron and AD. That’s like us beating them without Steph and Draymond. Not the same matchup at all. We can take ‘em in the game. What I like about this potentially happening is the extra time it gives for Vando to make a comeback.

Agreed, it ain't easy to beat a team twice in a row in their arena. I highly doubt Lakers will be handing out another ass whipping like they did yesterday. Should be a different game win or lose.