The Los Angeles Lakers are in the upper bracket of the Play-In Tournament for the second straight year, giving them two opportunities to win one game and advance to the playoffs. 

Among the players on the team who are accustomed to it are LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and D’Angelo Russell.

The Lakers will remain in New Orleans for a rematch that will determine the seventh seed in the Western Conference because of their convincing victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday and the Phoenix Suns’ victory on the last day of the regular season.

Russell is aware that this Play-In game will be different from the Lakers’ three previous meetings with the Pelicans, which saw the Lakers win all three by a margin of at least 16 points. 

As seen on Spectrum SportsNet, the point guard believes that although this Lakers team is stronger than it was the previous season and ready to face any challenges, he still expects New Orleans to blow up the place.

“We know they’re gonna come out ready to give it all they got. I think our group is experienced as well knowing how to match that energy and prepare for that energy on the road. So all the adversity is against us and we’re ready. I like our experience with the core group that we have that made that run last year, going into this year with adversity setting in. I think we’re just a better team, so I’m looking forward to attacking it head on.”

With two straight road games, this scenario is fairly reminiscent of the Lakers’ playoff run from the previous season. 

The Lakers won Game 1 on the road in each of the first two rounds before losing Game 2, and they can’t afford it to happen on Tuesday.

Russell wants the Lakers to take care of business and avoid having to play in a winner-take-all game, even though a loss on Tuesday does not mean the end of the season:

“Heck yeah. We don’t want to play again. We can easily lose and still have a chance, but those teams that are waiting for us to go play them at home, I’d rather us take care of business now than kill ourselves and drain it a little before we go into the ones that really matter. I like where we’re at, take care of business and go home and prepare for whoever we got to play.”

A victory would, of course, set up a rematch in the Western Conference Finals versus the Denver Nuggets, the reigning champions who have simply outplayed the Lakers in recent years. But neither Russell nor the Lakers are thinking about it.

Regardless of who stands in their way, this club is intent on finishing the job on Tuesday in order to have as much time as possible to be ready for the playoffs.

LeBron James of the Lakers seems unconcerned with D’Angelo Russell’s recent shooting difficulties.

D’Angelo Russell having a fantastic game will go a long way toward helping the Lakers leave New Orleans with a second consecutive victory. 

However, Russell had three straight games where he shot sub 30% from the field prior to the regular season finale.

LeBron James seemed unconcerned about the point guard improving his shooting technique, which he did in New Orleans, despite this.