Who will the winner of the Lakers vs Pelicans play-in game play against in the playoffs?

The 2024 NBA play-in tournament gets underway in the Western Conference on Tuesday (16 April), with the Los Angeles Lakers first up against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.

Will LeBron James and Anthony Davis play for the Lakers against the Pelicans?

LeBron James is set to play for the Lakers despite being listed on the injury report, although Anthony Davis has been downgraded to questionable because of a back issue.

Lakers help seal Pelicans’ play-in fate

The two teams ended the regular season is somewhat contrasting fashions, with Los Angeles boasting a 7-3 record in their last 10 games, the joint second best record in the West after the Warriors. That enabled them to secure their spot in the play-in tournament with relative ease, keeping their playoff hopes alive.

The Pelicans, however, let their own playoff hopes slip from their grasp, although they will at least get a second - and perhaps even a third - chance. Willie Green’s team had been very well placed to finish in the top six but finished the regular season 5-5, with the defeat to the Lakers in the final game allowing the Phoenix Suns to sneak past them as No. 6 seed.

New Orleans have an immediate chance for revenge against the Lakers, who should, however, hold a psychological edge after a 124-108 victory at the very same venue just two days ago.

Who will the winners and losers of Lakers - Pelicans play next?

The winners of Tuesday’s Game will be Western Conference No. 7 seed, which will set up a first-round playoff clash against No. 2 seed, the Denver Nuggets. The series will begin at Ball Arena in Colorado on Saturday 20 April.

The Lakers were 0-3 against the Nuggets during the regular season, while the Pelicans were 1-2.

The losers will go into the No. 8 seed game against the winner of match-up between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, which takes place later on Tuesday. The No. 8 seed will then face No. 1 seed the Oklahoma Thunder in the first round of the playoffs, starting at Paycom Center on Sunday 21 April.