Frank Vogel: Lakers will face tougher eight seed than normal in 'loaded' West

The Los Angeles Lakers officially clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, but coach Frank Vogel knows that the Lakers have a long road ahead of them if they hope to win a championship. Vogel said that he believes being the top seed this season is more challenging than usual, given the talent of the teams fighting for the eighth seed.

"I will say that all these teams that are competing for that eight spot, I don’t believe we’re going to get a typical eight seed in that matchup," Vogel said. "The West is loaded, there’s a lot of good teams in there, and we’re going to get a team with some serious firepower."

It's hard to disagree with Vogel. The Western Conference is loaded from top to bottom. While the Bucks will most likely face a barely functioning Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference, teams like the Grizzlies or Trail Blazers present a much bigger challenge to the Lakers. Charles Barkley even predicted that the Trail Blazers could upset the Lakers in the first round if they are able to secure the eighth seed.

If the Lakers were beaten in the first round, it would be one of the most shocking upsets in NBA history. There have only been a few times in NBA history that the eight seed has managed to beat the one seed. The Lakers appear to be the team to beat in the West, as the combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has proven to be lethal.