Go ahead, close your eyes and dream.
You saw what the Dodgers’ World Series parade was like. The cheers. The flags. The confetti.
Something like this could happen again soon, and it could happen before November.
The road to the NBA Finals is opening up for the Lakers, who are suddenly in second place in the Western Conference.
“That’s great,” Luka Doncic said. “Great position to be in, honestly.”
Read more: Luka Doncic’s ‘inner demon’ comes out and ignites Lakers to sixth straight win
The last time the Lakers entered the playoffs with as high a seed was in 2020 when they won their bubble championship. The last time they enjoyed home-court advantage in a postseason series was when Kobe Bryant was still playing for them.
“We just gotta keep stacking days,” forward Dorian Finney-Smith said.
Only 23 games remain in the regular season.
Holding on to their position won’t necessarily spare the Lakers a difficult matchup in the first round of the playoffs.
They could face the Minnesota Timberwolves, who reached the conference finals last year. Or the Dallas Mavericks, who would presumably have Anthony Davis in their lineup by then. Or the Clippers, who could be dangerous if Kawhi Leonard plays like the Kawhi Leonard of old. Or the Golden State Warriors, who have surged in the wake of their trade for Jimmy Butler.
But the Lakers would have home-court advantage, which is no small detail considering they have the third-best home record in the league behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers’ advantage inside of Crypto.com Arena feels as if it’s grown since the acquisition of Doncic. The home crowd was mesmerized as Doncic made a series of step-back three-pointers and hit LeBron James with another cross-court pass in a 108-102 win over the Clippers on Sunday night. The spectators celebrated when Doncic celebrated and they were galvanized when he talked trash.
“The atmosphere,” Doncic said, “is unbelievable.”
But this isn’t just about Doncic. Since they had two games postponed by the destructive wildfires in the area last month, the Lakers have the best record in the league at 18-5. They also have the top-rated defense.
The Lakers have managed to be consistent without fielding a consistent lineup. The 23-game stretch includes games played under various conditions: With and without Doncic, with and without James, with and without the departed Davis.
They beat the Clippers on Friday and Sunday. They didn’t have Rui Hachimura in the first game, and they didn’t have both Hachimura and Austin Reaves in the second.
They have elevated their game against the better teams they have played, as their recent victims include the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets. Their only losses last month were to the lottery-bound Utah Jazz and Charlotte Hornets.
“These opponents we’re playing, they’re really good teams,” coach JJ Redick said. “These are playoff-like games, just in terms of the physicality, the effort from both teams.”
There will be more games like this. After hosting the Knicks on Thursday, the Lakers will embark on a four-city trip that includes stops in Boston, Milwaukee and Denver.
Redick said he isn’t concerned about where his team is seeded — yet.
“I want to make the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t want to be in the play-in [tournament]. Until that is secured, the seeding thought won’t cross my mind.”
Read more: Kawhi Leonard concerned about Clippers’ sudden struggle to win games
With their win over the Clippers on Sunday, the Lakers moved 6 ½ games clear of the play-in tournament.
Redick’s wish to avoid the tournament is entirely understandable. The Lakers reached the playoffs three times in the previous four seasons, each time by surviving the play-in tournament. Twice, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, including by the Nuggets last year.
The Lakers should be able to go into the playoffs through the front door this year, and once they’re there, they should have a chance to make a serious run.
They’re not just playing like a team that could win a championship. They’re positioned like a team that could win a championship.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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