By R. Alexander Núñez
With the traditional season concluded, Los Angeles Lakers They already know their next challenge in the postseason: they will face the Houston Rockets in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Los Angeles team secured fourth place in the Western Conference after closing the calendar with a comprehensive victory over the Utah Jazz.
The 131-107 victory at home served to confirm the good momentum of the team led by JJ Redick, which had three consecutive victories at the end of the championship. Although there was the possibility of aspiring to third place depending on other results, the coach himself made it clear that the team had to focus solely on its performance.
LeBron James It was key in the first half of the match. The veteran contributed 18 points, six assists and four rebounds before halftime, leading a solid start that led to the result. His impact was noticeable from the first minutes, with defensive actions that led to quick points, including a layup and an alley-oop converted by Deandre Ayton.
The team chose not to use James or Luke Kennard in the second half as a preventive measure, with an eye toward the decisive phase of the tournament.
Solid closure and defined outlook in the West
The match also left outstanding performances from other players on the squad. Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton contributed 22 points and 10 assists eachconsolidating an effective offensive. Slash Smith Jr., who signed a two-year contract that same day, added 12 points off the bench.
On the Jazz side, Oscar Tshiebwe He had an outstanding performance with 29 points and 17 rebounds. However, his team concluded the campaign with a negative streak as a visitor, accumulating 11 consecutive defeats away from home.
With the last day played on April 12, both the direct playoff matches and the Play-In matchups were defined, which will determine the last classified in both conferences. This phase will begin on April 14, while the first round of the playoffs will start on the 18th of the same month.
In the West, the Lakers will face Houston, while other confirmed matchups include Denver vs. Minnesota and Oklahoma Metropolis and San Antonio waiting for their rivals from the Play-In. In the Eastern Conference, crosses stand out such as Original York Knicks against Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors.
The postseason will extend until mid-June, with the possibility of a seventh game of the Finals scheduled for the 16th. With the pairings already defined, the teams enter the most demanding phase of the calendar, where each game will be decisive.
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