In the first round of the 2023-24 NBA play-offs, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106 on the road to successfully advance to the playoffs in seventh place in the West, where they will face the Denver Nuggets, who are second in the West. The Pelicans, on the other hand, need to compete with other teams for the final playoff spot in the West. In this pivotal game, Lakers stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell excelled and worked together to help the team win. Although the Pelicans' Zion Williamson contributed a high 40 points, he still failed to help the team win.
The background of the competition
In the 2023-24 regular season, the Lakers are eighth in the West with a 47-35 record, while the Pelicans are seventh in the West with a 49-33 record. In the finale of the regular season, the Lakers defeated the Pelicans 124-108, with James and Davis playing particularly well. It is worth mentioning that in the regular season this season, the Lakers have a 3-1 record against the Pelicans. And in this game, the Lakers are aiming to qualify directly for the playoffs, although Davis's injury has caused a lot of trouble for the team.
The decisive moment
At 3:13 of the final quarter, Zion came off the court and returned to the locker room accompanied by staff. James forced a foul on Murphy's defense and made both free throws. Subsequently, the Pelicans tied the score at 99. At the critical moment, Davis completed an empty catch, Russell hit a three-pointer, and at 51 seconds, the Lakers regained a four-point advantage. McCollum's mid-range shot from the Pelicans helped keep the team going. However, with 15 seconds left, Davis grabbed a key frontcourt rebound and drew a defensive foul on Nance Jr., making both free throws. After McCollum scored on a layup, the Pelicans immediately resorted to foul play. Reeves withstood the pressure and made both free throws. Although the Pelicans followed suit, the Lakers won 110-106.
Subsequent effects of the game
The Lakers' victory in this game not only allowed them to qualify for the playoffs, but also gave them home-court advantage in the first round against the Nuggets. For the Pelicans, while Zion Williamson's impressive 40 points and 11 rebounds were impressive, his injury was undoubtedly a huge blow to the team. In the final stages of the game, Zion's departure left the Pelicans without motivation to chase points, and ultimately failed to reverse the outcome of the game. This loss means that the Pelicans will have to compete with other teams for the last playoff spot in the West, which is a big challenge for them.
Controversial discussions
The Lakers' victory sparked discussion about the NBA playoff format. Some argue that such a format increases the spectacle and suspense of the playoffs, giving more teams the opportunity to compete in the playoffs. However, there are also those who feel that such a format increases the burden on the team, especially for those players who have already experienced a long regular season, and such a play-off is undoubtedly a huge test of their physical strength and energy.
Zion Williamson's injury
In addition, Zion Williamson's injury has also raised concerns about the health of NBA players. As a new generation of stars in the league, Zion's health has been in the spotlight. His injury retirement not only affected him personally and the Pelicans, but also deprived the NBA league of a great matchup. This reminds us once again that the health of players should be a priority for the league and the team, after all, it is a healthy player who can bring more exciting games to the fans.
In the NBA's play-in system, although they lost to the Lakers in the first round, they didn't completely lose hope of advancing to the playoffs. According to NBA playoff rules, the Pelicans will compete with other teams that fail to qualify directly for the last playoff spot in the West.
Future outlook
After the Lakers advance, the Pelicans will play against other teams that are in a similar position at the end of the regular season. These teams will play one or more play-off rounds to determine the final playoff spots. The fate of the Pelicans now depends on their performance in the upcoming games, as well as the results of other competing teams.
Despite Zion Williamson being injured and leaving the court early in key games, the Pelicans still have a team full of talent that has the ability to bounce back in the upcoming games. If they can adjust and win the next play-off tournament, the Pelicans still have a chance to make a spot in the NBA playoffs in 2023-24.