NEW ORLEANS — Because of the way the Western Conference’s Play-In Tournament bracket shook out, the Lakers’ Tuesday matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center could be viewed similarly to Game 2 of a playoff series.
The Lakers took Game 1 on Sunday, beating the Pelicans, 124-108, to not only clinch eighth place in the West, but also drop the Pelicans to seventh place to set up Tuesday’s rematch and a second consecutive matchup with significant stakes.
The winner will become the West’s seventh seed and move on to a best-of-seven first-round playoff series against the No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets. The loser will on Friday host the winner of the 9-10 play-in game between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors, with the winner of that matchup being the eighth seed and moving on to a first-round series against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
“We just got to go compete like we did [Sunday],” Austin Reaves said of Tuesday’s matchup. “If we do that, we’ll put ourselves in a good situation.
“Obviously, it’s tough to beat a team back-to-back, quick turnarounds. If we put our best foot forward and compete like we did [Sunday], we’ll leave ourselves a good opportunity.”
The Lakers have had the Pelicans’ number this season, winning the regular-season series 3-1. All of their victories were by at least 16 points: the 133-89 win on Dec. 7 in the In-Season Tournament semifinals in Las Vegas, the 139-122 victory on Feb. 9 in Los Angeles and Sunday’s win.
The Pelicans’ lone victory over the Lakers this season – a 129-109 decision on Dec. 31 – came on the second night of a road back-to-back for the Lakers.
But numbers back Reaves’ sentiment.
Only 19 of the 342 first-round series in league history have started with the road team winning the first two games, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That doesn’t include 2020, when all games were played on a neutral court in the bubble in Orlando, Fla.
“Tuesday’s game is going to be extremely hard, extremely difficult, extremely physical,” LeBron James said. “I’ve always known that, when you play a playoff series – and I look at this like a two-game playoff series – if you win that first game, a team has multiple days to kind of sit on that feeling, or sit with that taste in their mouth of defeat. So they’re going to be extremely ready for us and we have to come in with the same sense of urgency that we had the previous game.”
The way James stepped up his play, especially defensively in the Dec. 7 game and Sunday’s victory, is a game-changer for the Lakers.
He took on the Zion Williamson defensive assignment in both matchups and was especially effective in Sunday’s win by cutting off Williamson’s drives, embracing the physicality and funneling Williamson to Anthony Davis helping near the rim.
The 39-year-old James, who is in the midst of his 21st NBA season, might not be able to bring that level of defensive play every night during the regular season.
But with postseason play on the horizon, James will have more to offer on that end of the court – which was evident on Sunday.
“It just sets a tone,” Coach Darvin Ham said. “Usually it’s A.D. setting that tone. A couple of other guys. That’s a huge challenge. [Williamson] is a hell of a basketball player. The physicality which he plays with, his athleticism, his ability to finish with either hand around the basket and constantly play downhill. It’s a huge challenge that he took on.
“And again, it sends a message to the rest of our team that a guy of Bron’s stature and his tenure steps up to the plate to defend a young superstar like that. No one else can make excuses.”
LAKERS AT PELICANS
What: NBA Play-in Tournament game
When: Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. PT
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans
TV/radio: TNT/710 AM