Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 90 days 18 hours 35 minutes
Everyone has the Nuggets beating the Lakers. Everyone. And why not? Denver are the defending NBA champions. They're elite. And they've won seven straight games over the Lakers. The same Los Angeles Lakers that were a bit of a basket case all year long, never caught any consistency, and built no faith with anyone. So it's a foregone conclusion, right? Maybe not! Because there are real reasons to believe that the Lakers have a chance to surprise some people...
This win didn't quite look like the others, but in the end the Lakers got what they came for, and once again defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, winning Tuesday in the 7/8 Play-In Game. It's the fourth time in five this season LA has topped the Pelicans, and the second time in three days - both on the road - and this one is undoubtedly the most significant...
The Lakers spanked the Pelicans on Sunday to earn their way to the 8-seed and... a repeat of Sunday's game in New Orleans. This time, however, the winner of the game advances straight into the rest of the postseason, finishing as the West's 7-seed and winning a chance to travel to Denver this weekend. The loser plays the winner of Wednesday's game between Sacramento and Golden State. On paper, at least, the Lakers would seem to be the favorites...
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 didn't deserve it, but the Lakers got the win anyway. Against a Memphis Grizzlies team that had 13 players on the injured list, eight players in uniform, and zero players who started the season playing meaningful minutes for an NBA team, the Lakers still needed all 48 minutes to come away with a 123-120 win. How much good it does them depends on what else happens around the conference, but at least the Lakers kept the dream of moving up alive. Even if they shouldn't have been allowed to...
Given the disappointment of Wednesday's results and the box it puts the Lakers in from a standings perspective - they're far more likely now to be a 10 seed than anything else - there was at least some speculation that the Lakers might just leave a recovering Anthony Davis and LeBron James at home, at least for Friday's game in Memphis. Let them fully recover before playing again, and see if Sunday in New Orleans matters...
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Anthony Davis has been outstanding for the Lakers this season. He's put up numbers. He's been available, piling up minutes despite a variety of ailments. He's anchored a Lakers defense that often becomes catastrophically bad without him available. But the timing of his latest injury/illness couldn't have been worse. Davis has missed the team's last seven quarters, and they happened to be seven of the most important quarters the Lakers have played all season...
The Lakers have been the beneficiaries of good health from LeBron James and Anthony Davis... until right about now. Sunday, LeBron missed a key game against Minnesota with an illness, and Anthony Davis was knocked out at the end of the first quarter after being whacked in the head...
Things are getting really tight in the Western Conference, and number of combinations and permutations when it comes to potential end-of-the-year standings could make your eyes bleed. The Lakers could still finish anywhere from 6th (with a lot of help) to 10th (if they don't help themselves). And suffice to say, if they have any prayer of rising higher than their current lot (9th) they need to win out, starting tonight at home against the Warriors...