LeBron “King” James’ triple-double in the final game of the regular season helped the Los Angeles Lakers finish the regular season in eighth place and earn a spot in the Play-In Tournament (PIT).
James recorded a triple-double of 28 points, 17 assists, and 11 rebounds in the final game of the 2023-2024 National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. James was joined by Anthony Davis, who had a 30-point, 11-rebound double-double, as the Lakers won 123-108 to clinch eighth place in the 바카라사이트 Western Conference.
The 7th through 10th place finishers in each conference all make the play-in tournament, but there are some differences. The eighth-place team will play the seventh-place team first, and if they win, they’ll go straight to the playoffs; if they lose, they’ll have one more shot at the playoffs against the winner of the ninth- through 10th-place team. The Lakers will play the seventh-seeded team in the Western Conference, New Orleans, on Feb. 17 for the No. 7 seed in the playoffs. If they beat New Orleans, they will host the No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers, who already led 99-77 heading into the third quarter, took a 111-88 lead with 7:05 left in regulation before James scored four straight points to make it 115-88, a 27-point advantage. James added the icing on the cake with a layup to cut New Orleans’ lead to 119-101 with just over three minutes to play and the extra free throw he was fouled on.
James has always shown a different focus in the playoffs than he does in the regular season. His four Finals titles and four Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors have come from this focus. Last season, it was James’ strength that allowed the Lakers to advance from the play-in tournament to the Western Conference Finals, where they swept the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. This time around, his focus is sharper than ever as he sets his sights beyond the playoffs.