National Basketball Association

2024 NBA odds: Lakers fall short of season win total, set for play-in tourney

Published Apr. 11, 2024 12:48 p.m. ET

Lakers Unders bettors, rejoice!

L.A. will officially win fewer than its preseason win total of 47.5 games, so go ahead and cash those Lakers Under betslips.

According to John Ewing at BetMGM, the Lakers have gone under their win total 17 times since 2000.

Currently, LeBron James & Co. have 45 wins on their resume with two games left to go in the regular season. They will face Memphis and New Orleans in their final two matchups.

But even if the Lakers lose their last two contests, the Purple and Gold are still playoff bound — kind of.

L.A. has clinched a berth in the NBA's play-in tournament, the league's elimination round of games before the actual postseason tips off.

The Lakers are so far down in the Western Conference standings, though, that their title futures are a lengthy +5500. To win the conference, their odds are +2700.

So even if they made it past the play-in, hanging an 18th banner this year is not likely, at least in the eyes of the sportsbooks.

Furthermore, FOX Sports contributor Paul Pierce said on a recent episode of "Undisputed" that if the current seeding holds, Los Angeles could be in trouble if it ends up playing Golden State in the play-in.

Lakers host Warriors in crucial game with play-in seeding on the line

"The Lakers need to avoid Golden State at all costs. When you have an opportunity to put Steph Curry in a one-game situation to where he can be the best player on the planet on any given night … you don't want to be in the predicament.

"I know that LeBron hasn't lost a play-in game, but that's all in the past. You do not want a one-game-for-your-life-against-Steph Curry situation."

Stay tuned to FOX Sports as the NBA playoffs unfold!