The 2018 NBA playoffs tipped off on Saturday and once again, the Los Angeles Lakers will be watching all of the action from home. It’s been five years since the Lakers last playoff appearance and they haven’t come close since. Not until this year, at least.
The Lakers finished the season with 35 wins, good enough for the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference, the highest they’ve finished since their last postseason appearance in 2013. However, their record, while impressive given the roster makeup, doesn’t reflect how good they were this season, especially on the defensive end.