Magic Johnson: 'Ridiculous' to Suggest Lakers Should 'Intentionally Lose' to Pelicans

Magic Johnson doesn't want his former team risking a play-in tournament exit just to avoid a first-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets.

The Hall of Famer took to social media Tuesday and said the notion that the Purple and Gold should "intentionally lose" Tuesday's matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans is "ridiculous" in part because "as a true competitor, you should always want to win."

While Los Angeles surely won't intentionally lose Tuesday's play-in tournament game, it is not difficult to argue that doing so could set it up with an easier path for a deep playoff run.

The winner of the game between the Lakers and Pelicans will earn the Western Conference's No. 7 seed and a first-round date with the second-seeded Nuggets. Denver swept Los Angeles in the Western Conference Finals last season and won all three regular-season matchups in 2023-24.

Nikola Jokić and Co. would surely be favored in another matchup with the Lakers and could end their season relatively quickly.

However, the loser of Tuesday's game between the Lakers and Pelicans will face the winner of the contest between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings in a battle for the Western Conference's No. 8 seed and a matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder were excellent all season and have an MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but they are also particularly young with little postseason experience from their primary contributors. Los Angeles can rely on the experience of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Co. and perhaps have a clearer path to an upset than it would against Denver.

Still, that also brings a massive element of risk because losing that play-in game to the Warriors or Kings would mean the end of the Lakers' season.

All it would take is Stephen Curry getting hot from three in a single-elimination setting to prevent Los Angeles from even earning a shot at one of the Western Conference's top seeds. That alone makes it not worth it, although Johnson pointed to the team's competitive nature as well.