Golden State Warriors will be gifted dream scenario if they can beat Lakers

The Golden State Warriors are headed to Los Angeles on Tuesday, May 18, to take on the Lakers in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 play-in game. The loser will play the winner of the Spurs and Grizzlies in a game that will decide who the Utah Jazz’s first-round opponent is.

The winner of the Warriors and Lakers will get the Phoenix Suns. But, they won’t just get the Suns. They’ll get to take on Phoenix, and if they beat the Suns in a seven-game series, they’ll also avoid the Clippers, taking on the winner of the Nuggets and Trail Blazers.

While the Golden State Warriors aren’t officially in the playoffs, they could still give themselves a favorable scenario by beating the LA Lakers on Tuesday.

The Dubs actually have a better record against the Jazz this season, but Utah has played without star guard Donavon Mitchell for the last few weeks. He should be re-joining the team for the playoffs. The Warriors defeated Utah recently, but that was without Mitchell.

As for the game they played immediately after that, it was against guard Devin Booker and the Suns. They defeated a Suns team that had all their big-name players on the court. The Warriors would have an easier time against Phoenix, especially if Kelly Oubre Jr. could make a return.

Assume this team pulls a “We Believe”-like first-round series, they’d much rather take on the Nuggets than Clippers.

Allowing the Clippers and Lakers to play in the other conference semifinal would be ideal, assuming both teams from Los Angeles make it that far. They’re likely the two top teams in the conference in terms of talent.

Avoiding the Clippers and Lakers until they only have to play one while taking on a team that would be without their starting point guard sounds like the best possible scenario.

For now, that would mean getting by the Lakers first in the play-in tournament then also downing the Suns, both tasks that are easier said than done. While those are the big hurdles, they should prefer this route.

Also, it should be noted that Rudy Gobert is a more formidable big man than Deandre Ayton. While  Ayton has improved since being the top overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, he’s not the defensive force that Gobert is.

Now, to be fair, Phoenix does have veteran star Chris Paul and Devin Booker, combining to make an elite backcourt. With a few solid forwards as well, the Suns have strength on both ends of the court.

Combine the big-man difference and the future matchup of Denver or Portland, and the Warriors should be feeling even more pressure in their first play-in game.