2024 LA Lakers playoff picture after win vs Toronto Raptors (April 2): Updated standings, schedule and more

The LA Lakers easily secured a 128-111 victory on the road against the struggling Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, making significant progress in the tightly contested Western Conference rankings.

Despite initially trailing by eight points in the first quarter, the Lakers mounted a comeback and ended the period with a 30-13 run, giving them a nine-point lead. They continued to dominate in the second half, extending their lead to as much as 33 points and ultimately securing a 17-point victory.

Despite the impressive performance of superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who combined for 44 points, it was Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell who truly shined with 25 points, seven assists, and seven 3-pointers on 52.9% shooting.

Despite missing nine consecutive games due to personal reasons/conditioning, wing RJ Barrett returned to lead the Raptors with a game-high 28 points. At just 23 years old, Barrett showed his leadership and determination on the court.

Despite the absence of several key players, such as star forward Scottie Barnes (hand), the Raptors were unable to overcome their lack of talent and suffered their 14th consecutive loss, the worst record in the league.

Despite the Lakers’ second consecutive victory and their seventh win in their last eight games, their late-season momentum may not be enough to secure a top-six seed and avoid the play-in tournament.

To elaborate, here is a current overview of where LA stands in the Western conference playoff standings with six games left to play.

2021 NBA Playoff Standings: LA Lakers

Despite Tuesday’s victory against Toronto, the Lakers (43-33) maintain their position as the ninth seed in the Western Conference. They are currently 1.5 games behind both the seventh and eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (44-31) and Phoenix Suns (44-31). In addition, they trail the fifth and sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (45-30) and New Orleans Pelicans (45-30) by 2.5 games.

Despite still having potential to improve its position in the standings, LA is most likely limited to the fifth seed. This is because it currently trails the fourth-seeded LA Clippers (47-28) by 4.5 games.

Conversely, the Lakers may fall down one position, as they currently hold just a 1.5 game lead over the 10th-ranked Golden State Warriors (41-34). Nevertheless, this should be their lowest possible rank, considering their comfortable 4.5-game lead over the 11th-ranked Houston Rockets (38-37).

LA Lakers Playoff Schedule and Potential Matchups

The Lakers’ outlook for the remainder of the season remains the same, as they are set to face the 16th-most difficult schedule in the NBA. This equates to an average opponent winning percentage of. 496.

Four out of the last six games for LA are against teams with winning records, with crucial games against Golden State and New Orleans on April 9 and 14.

Therefore, in order to avoid the play-in, the Lakers will most likely need to secure a minimum of a few notable victories.

Key Player to Watch: X-factor for the LA Lakers in the Playoffs

Despite their 7-1 record in their last eight games, the Lakers have continued to prioritize their defensive efforts, evident in their fourth place ranking for defensive rating (108.0). This marks a significant improvement from their season-long defensive rating of 114.9, where they were ranked 14th.

In the meantime, the team has seen a rise in performance from their forward, Rui Hachimura. In his most recent eight games, the 26-year-old has been averaging 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.9 3-pointers per game while shooting an impressive 59.8%. His size and shooting skills have been a valuable asset to the starting lineup for LA.

If the Lakers maintain their strong defensive efforts and consistent contributions from their starting lineup, they have the potential to be a formidable contender in the playoffs.