Reacts: What seed will the Lakers finish in playoff race?

Mar 28, 2023 - 6:08 PM

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Los Angeles Lakers fans and fans across the country.
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Over the last nearly six weeks, the Lakers have gone from looking up at the play-in race to placing itself right square in the middle of it. While it feels like more of a foregone conclusion that the Lakers will make at least the play-in, there’s still a lot to be determined in the coming weeks.

This week’s SB Nations Reacts survey asks Laker fans what seed they think the Lakers will finish with this season. It’s a very open-ended question with, as we write this, three losses separating fifth and 11th in the Western Conference.

As much as the Lakers have played their way into the play-in race, they haven’t played their way above the play-in spots at any point. And while that still remains a possibility with how close every team is to one another at the bottom of the West, it’s still uncharted waters for the Lakers.

Because of that, everything has indicated the Lakers are likely going to be a play-in team. Recent Reacts surveys have named the Lakers as one of the favorites to make the play-in game. Oddsmakers recently had them as the second favorite.

Realistically, that’s probably where they will fall, which is the seventh or eighth seed. That would give them two chances to make the playoffs, including at least one home game.

There’s still plenty of reason to believe they can make one last push to get out of the play-in games, particularly with the return of LeBron James on Sunday. But it’s one of those things that, for me, we’ll have to see before we believe.

What are your thoughts? Do you think the Lakers are destined for the play-in games? Can they finish above the play-in? Are we certain they’ll even make the play-in? Let us know your thoughts down below.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.