LeBron James, Lakers don’t want to be in play-in tournament again: ‘Our mission is to lock in a playoff spot’

NBA legend LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers don’t want to be in the play-in tournament again. 

LeBron and the Lakers have been in the play-in tournament two years in a row. 

“This year, in particular, it’s so close,” LeBron said after the Lakers beat the Houston Rockets. “People are jumping each other, falling behind, whatever the case may be. It’s not like I (do) it every day, but it’s talked about pretty much all the time. You kind of see where you’re at. For us, obviously, our mission is to lock in a playoff spot. We don’t want to have to play in the Play-In, so we understand what’s at stake.”

The Lakers are in fourth place in the Western Conference with a record of 46-29. 

If the regular season ended today, Los Angeles would face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. 

“We know that we got a lot of playoff experience in this locker room, but we all know that one play here, one play there, can be the difference between winning a playoff series or not,” LeBron, the leading scorer in NBA history, said. “Urgency, physicality and then holding each other accountable.”

The Lakers won the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat. Since then, they have been a play-in team. 

Los Angeles also missed the playoffs in 2022. 

“I think we all recognize the magnitude of each game and the urgency with which we have to play each game,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “I think once you get to the playoffs, anybody who’s been there — and we have a bunch of guys that have won championships and a bunch of guys have made deep playoff runs — the urgency you have to play with on each possession, that’s what’s exhausting about the playoffs. It’s a mental, physical and emotional toll because you have to be locked in on every single possession. … We’ve gotta build our playoff mentality.”