The Lakers played about as poorly as a team can Friday in Memphis without actually losing. Sunday, they made up for it in a huge way. Win, and the Lakers would solidify an 8-seed, and a chance to get into the postseason bracket with only one win (while earning the luxury of a do-over, if needed). Lose, and they're the 10. Win twice, or go home, both on the road. It was pretty clear which option the Lakers preferred. The came out hot early, with a determined and focused effort to take control. They increased their lead big into the half (17 points) and won the third quarter by five to refuse the Pelicans even an inch of opportunity. Anthony Davis (30 points) and LeBron James (28 points, 17 assists) were both dominant, and had more than enough help from Austin Reaves (20 points ) and D'Angelo Russell (18 points, 5-10 from downtown). The defensive effort was stellar as well. Now the Lakers, as the 8-seed, take on New Orleans on Tuesday with a chance to move through into the first round. The opportunity is there- LA's margin of victory in the three they've won over the Pellies is massive. And the game they lost was on the second night of a back-to-back, with multiple players missing. Advantage Lakers. That would earn them four full days of rest before visiting Denver (sigh) in the first round. Speaking of that, some of the more artful on Lakers social media are suggesting the Lakers might want to lose on purpose Tuesday, then go ahead and win on Friday in the second game of the play-in, thus earning the 8-seed and a date with top-seeded Oklahoma City, a much, much better matchup for LA. Is this an idea worth entertaning? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers throttle New Orleans, in one of their best games of the year. SEGMENT 2: Anthony Davis and LeBron James dominate. The supporting cast is there. And it's pretty clear the Pelicans just don't match up well with the Lakers. SEGMENT 3: Should the Lakers try to avoid Denver in the first round? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Monopoly GO!Get in the game and join your friends. Download MONOPOLY GO! now free on The App Store or Google Play. Yahoo FinanceFor comprehensive financial news and analysis, visit the brand behind every great investor, YahooFinance.com. NissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com. eBay MotorsFrom brakes to exhaust kits and beyond, eBay Motors has over 122 million parts to keep your ride-or-die alive. With all the parts you need at the prices you want, it’s easy to bring home that big win. Keep your ride-or-die alive at EbayMotors.com. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month. PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100! GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning GUARENTEED That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – win or lose! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)