Los Angeles Lakers: 3 takeaways the Pacers loss magnified
3. Playoffs in serious doubt
The Los Angeles Lakers are 2.5 games out of the 8-seed in the Western Conference with 28 games left to play. They have a 16.2 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN‘s Basketball Power Index with a closing record of 40-42. This hasn’t factored in a trade to a team ahead of them, but it’s safe to say those odds are not favorable.
The West is deep and always has a number of teams fighting for the final playoff spots, but most expected the Lakers to be the ones jockeying for position, not battling the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings for a playoff spot. It’s not full blown panic time, but there are signs that this team is at a crossroads in their season.
The trade rumors (we’ll get to them later) have taken a toll, but their last five losses (2-5 in last seven games) have been by 19, 15, 16, 14 and 42 points. Two of those losses were to the Golden State Warriors without LeBron James or Lonzo Ball playing, but LeBron is coming off an injury that cost him over a month and Zo is out with a bad left ankle sprain that he’s injured twice this season.
Who knows if either will be at 100 percent when both return fully? Others have to step up. The problem is Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma are clearly injured. They are two vital role players to the Lakers and if their health doesn’t improve, they will be even thinner at positions of need on the wing.
The Clippers traded away Tobias Harris, according to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, so that puts a dent in their chances to retain the spot as they’ve turned to sellers at the deadline. The Kings are an athletic, deep team that overwhelms opponents with their relentless attacking in transition. They have no reason to tank with the Boston Celtics owning the rights to their first round pick.
The Lakers received a short-term gift with the Clippers trading away Harris, but it’s no guarantee the Purple and Gold side of L.A. will leap them or Sacramento in the playoff picture.