Los Angeles Lakers NBA Play-In Tournament Betting
Since 2014, the Los Angeles Lakers have only four NBA Playoff appearances. In the 2020 COVID campaign, they won the NBA championship, which is why the Lakers signed LeBron James in the first place. But Father Time is catching up to LeBron, who is still quite good but not as dominant as in his peak years of production. As always, the Lakers were a poor value this year. Los Angeles has the deadly combination of being the ultimate public, name brand team that is, in reality, medicore. And that is why the Lakers are in the play-in round.
2024 NBA Championship Betting Odds
Los Angeles Lakers NBA Betting Lines
Los Angeles Lakers +1
New Orleans Pelicans -1
Total: 223.5
Money Line: Los Angeles -102, New Orleans -118
The Los Angeles Lakers are 47-35 straight up, 38-44 against the spread, and 47-34-1 over/under the total. Late on, Los Angeles has covered two out of their last six games. While the Lakers have gone over the total in six of its previous seven matchups. Los Angeles is 8th in the Western Conference playoff standings. Los Angeles is ten games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoff race.
Los Angeles has NBA metrics of 6th for scoring offense, 2nd for field goal percentage, 8th for 3-point field goal percentage, 15th for free throw percentage, and 18th for offensive rebounding. On defense, the Lakers have NBA metrics of 23rd for scoring defense, 17th for field goal percentage permitted, 25th for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 19th for defensive rebounding.
Los Angeles qualified for the play-in round. The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Lakers on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Tipoff time is at 7:30 p.m. ET, with television coverage on TNT.
Los Angeles Lakers Key Players
SF LeBron James leads the Lakers with 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game. James is a 4-time NBA champion, 4-time NBA Finals MVP, 4-time NBA MVP, and 20-time NBA All-Star. In his career, James has a playoff average of 28.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game.
PF Anthony Davis averages 24.6 points and 12.7 rebounds per game. Davis is a 9-time NBA All-Star. In the playoffs, Davis has a career average of 25.9 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach
Head coach Davin Ham is a rookie in that role in the NBA. He was a journeyman NBA player who played for six teams, winning an NBA title on the 2004 Detroit Pistons. He was an NBA assistant from 2011-22, including the Lakers and the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks. Ham has a career record of 89-74 in the regular season and 8-8 in the playoffs.
Season-by-Season Record (Last 6)
| SEASON |
GAMES |
WINS |
LOSSES |
FINISH |
PLAYOFFS |
| 2023-24 |
82 |
47 |
35 |
3rd, Pacific |
TBD |
| 2022–23 |
82 |
43 |
39 |
5th, Pacific |
Lost in Conference Finals, 0–4 (Nuggets) |
| 2021–22 |
82 |
33 |
49 |
4th, Pacific |
Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 |
72 |
42 |
30 |
3rd, Pacific |
Lost in First Round, 2–4 (Suns) |
| 2019–20 |
71 |
52 |
19 |
1st, Pacific |
NBA Champions, 4–2 (Heat) |
| 2018–19 |
82 |
37 |
45 |
4th, Pacific |
Did not qualify |
Los Angeles Lakers History
Most people know that the Los Angeles Lakers were one of the first NBA franchises and started off as the Minneapolis Lakers. However, they don’t know that the Minneapolis Lakers purchased the franchise spot of the short-lived Detroit Gems of the NBL. The Detroit Gems went 4-40 in their lone season, so the new ownership group brought in a new roster when they moved to the Twin Cities. There, the NBA’s first dynasty was born.
George Mikan became the NBA’s first superstar when he joined the Minneapolis Lakers as a rookie in 1948. He only played seven seasons of professional basketball but was unstoppable in the paint and helped the Lakers win five NBA titles in their first six years.
The Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960. They were a star-crossed team for over a decade, making it to the NBA Finals eight times, but they lost all eight of those trips. Seven losses came to the Boston Celtics as Bill Russell and company routinely got the better of Jerry West and Elgin Baylor.
This franchise finally brought Los Angeles a title in 1972, just before West, Baylor, and Wilt Chamberlain called it quits. The Lakers had much more success in the 1980s, winning five NBA championships with Magic Johnson running the Showtime Lakers alongside James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The Lakers boasted another mini-dynasty at the start of the 21st Century. Phil Jackson led the Lakers to three straight titles while managing the egos of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Jackson was the coach for the Lakers’ two titles at the end of the decade, too, with Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol.
NBA Teams
Eastern Conference - Atlantic
Eastern Conference - Central
Eastern Conference - Southeast
Western Conference - Northwest
Western Conference - Pacific
Western Conference - Southwest
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