As the NBA season heats up, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a crucial position to secure a top-six playoff seed. Fortunately for the LeBron James-led squad, there’s a clear way to achieve that goal.

According to Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet, the Lakers must win at least one of their remaining games against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.

A win against any of these squads will automatically give the Purple and Gold a spot in the top six, as two teams from the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies will finish the season with 33 losses.

Moreover, the Lakers have the advantage since they hold all the tiebreakers against these franchises.

The Lakers can cement a Top 6 spot and avoid the play-in if they win at least 1 of their 4 remaining games, since at least two of DEN, GSW, LAC and MEM will finish with 33 losses (due to H2H matchups) and the Lakers hold all the tiebreakers. — Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 7, 2025 The Lakers came closer to their goal by defeating the Thunder on Sunday night with a score of 126-99.

Luka Doncic dropped an impressive performance with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while Austin Reaves added 20 points. James, on the other hand, had 19 points, three boards and seven dimes to help Los Angeles improve to a 48-30 record.

The Lakers will face the Thunder again on Tuesday night and try to replicate their win against them. With the odds in their favor, Los Angeles has a good chance to steer clear of the Play-In Tournament soon.