The Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans at home (110-106) The Los Angeles team will face the Denver Nuggets, current champions, on Saturday. Zion Williamson, the powerful 23-year-old power forward, tied the game with less than four minutes left on the clock.

The Pelicans will play the last gasp of the 2023-2024 season on Friday in a game to the death against whoever wins between Sacramento and the Warriors. Meanwhile, the Lakers begin an uphill path towards the championship. The next stop will be against the defending champions, Nikola Joki's Nuggets. It will be a repeat of last year's Western Conference final, when Denver swept Los Angeles 4-0.