NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streaking

NBA Power Rankings Week 20: Philadelphia 76ers streak in the penultimate week

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 02: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers react in front of Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz at the Wells Fargo Center on December 2, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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NBA, 76ers (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

13. Los Angeles Lakers

Last Week: Lost to Toronto Raptors 121-114, Beat Denver Nuggets 93-89, Lost to LA Clippers 118-94, Lost to Portland Trail Blazers 106-101

This Week: 5/9 vs. Phoenix Suns, 5/11 vs. New York Knicks, 5/12 vs. Houston Rockets, 5/15 at Indiana Pacers, 5/16 at New Orleans Pelicans

At this point, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to have committed to the only real goal to find themselves in the playoffs with some semblance of a healthy LeBron James to make a push for a repeat championship. The road will not be easy, with the defending champions entering the final week of the season as the dreaded seven seed, sticking them in a play-in scenario.

The final three games of the season for the Lakers are imminently winnable, going against the Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans. They will need to finish with more wins than the Portland Trail Blazers to avoid the extra games after the Blazers secured the tiebreaker against the Lakers on Friday.

LeBron James has been particularly outspoken about not liking the idea of the play-in, at least he has now that his team is in a position to deal with it. Even the biggest James fans (myself included) has to bristle at this. Making the final week of the season matter is a vast improvement for the league and if the worst-case scenario is a one-game series between LeBron James and Stephen Curry the fans will be huge winners. Ultimate, the Lakers just have to beat the teams in front of them.