Austin Reaves: Lakers 'Super Confident' in NBA Playoff Push After Updated Standings

The Los Angeles Lakers are feeling better about its chances come playoff time.

Following a 120-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Lakers guard Austin Reaves said that the team was feeling "confident" and that the team could make some noise in the postseason if it plays to its potential.

"Regardless of where we stand, if we go put our best foot forward and play the basketball that we know we can play ... I think if you go ask anybody in our locker room, we're super confident with what we have," Reaves said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.

Los Angeles improved to 36-30 with the victory and sit in ninth place in the Western Conference. This would have it set to compete in the play-in tournament before the playoffs begin, but notably, the Lakers are just two games out of sixth place, which would allow them to avoid the play-in tournament entirely.

Beyond the standings implications, the performance also showed that Los Angeles can thrive against the elite of the conference. The Timberwolves are 44-21 and in third place in the conference. If Los Angeles were able to secure the sixth seed, a first-round matchup with Minnesota could potentially be in the cards.

It was the first time Los Angeles defeated Minnesota this season, as it had dropped the prior two matchups against the conference foe. It also came during a week in which the Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks, who are among the best teams in the NBA as well.

With 16 games remaining on the schedule, Los Angeles will look to secure the easiest path possible for the postseason. It will also have an opportunity to even up the season series against Minnesota on April 7, which could potentially serve as a precursor to a postseason bout.