The Los Angeles Lakers’ only route to the 2022 NBA playoffs is the play-in tournament. With 10 games left on the schedule, L.A. can’t clinch a postseason berth in the regular season.

With a 31-41 record, the No. 9 seed Lakers trail the No. 6 seed Denver Nuggets by 11 games in the standings. Even if Los Angeles doesn’t lose again, the team would finish with 41 wins. Denver and the No. 7 seed Minnesota Timberwolves have both already won 42 games.

The top six seeds in each conference make the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Teams seeded No. 7-10 will compete in the play-in tournament for the final two berths in the West and the East.

Los Angeles has little chance to finish higher than ninth in the West. The Lakers trail the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Clippers by 4.5 games. It’s more likely that the Lakers will fall to 10th. The New Orleans Pelicans are only a game behind the Lakers as the final play-in team.

The No. 11 seed San Antonio Spurs are lurking with three fewer wins than the Lakers. As the No. 9 or No. 10 seed, the Lakers would need to win two straight play-in games in order to earn the West’s last playoff spot.

The Lakers made the 2021 playoffs through the play-in tournament. As the No. 7 seed, Los Angeles beat the Golden State Warriors for a first-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns. After taking a 2-1 series lead, the Lakers suffered three straight losses, derailed by an injury to Anthony Davis.

If the Lakers make the playoffs, they will likely face the Suns in the first round for a second straight year.

Davis’ absence has been the biggest reason for the Lakers being 10 games below .500. A foot injury has kept the eight-time All-Star off the court ince Feb. 16. It’s not yet known if he would be back for the play-in tournament.

Davis has only played in 37 games this season.

LeBron James leads the NBA in scoring with 30 points per game. James' 38-point triple-double catapulted the Lakers past the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 131-120 win Monday.

In March, James is averaging 33.9 points on 53.8% shooting in 11 games. The Lakers are 4-7 in those games.

LeBron James
LeBron James #6 of Los Angeles Lakers reacts during action against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 25, 2022 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Michelle Farsi/Getty Images
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