The Los Angeles Lakers are
currently the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference with a record of
41-32. They are also one of the conference’s most polarizing teams
with the postseason right around the corner.
The West’s Play-In Tournament
currently includes the Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, Lakers and
Golden State Warriors. Assuming L.A. makes it out of the loaded
entry tournament, the No. 1 and 2 seeds should hope to avoid them.
They are one year removed from a Western Conference Finals
appearance, where they were swept by the eventual-champion Denver
Nuggets.
On Tuesday, the Lakers took down
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in a 128-124
double-overtime thriller. With superstar LeBron James sidelined,
big man Anthony Davis tallied 34 points and 23 rebounds through
left knee pain, while guards Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell
combined for 58 points and 22 assists on 17-of-42 shooting. The
Lakers have proven that they can compete with the league’s top
contenders when they play to their full potential.
“He assured me he was gonna push
through. (The medical staff) said it was OK,” head coach Darvin
Ham
said of Davis’ performance,
according to The Athletic. “Just tolerance — whatever he could tolerate.
And kudos to him, man. He played his ass off.”
The Lakers followed up this
rollercoaster win with a comfortable victory over the Memphis
Grizzlies in the absence of Davis. This matchup was highlighted by
a 30-point triple-double from James, along with a 32-point
performance from forward Rui Hachimura. With nine games remaining
in the regular season, LA hopes to continue their five-game win
streak to obtain a higher seed.
James and Davis are no strangers
to finding triumph in the playoffs, winning a ring together in the
2020 NBA Bubble. Consistency is the tandem’s greatest rival,
whether it’s health concerns for James or mediocre scoring games
for Davis. However, both superstars rise to the occasion in the
postseason.
The Nuggets and Oklahoma City
Thunder hold the top two seeds in the West, meaning the Lakers will
likely match up against one of them in the opening round. James and
the Lakers are familiar with coach Mike Malone and the Nuggets’
style of play and strategy, which is one of their few hopes of
winning.
However, if they find themselves
facing off with the inexperienced Thunder, their chances of victory
skyrocket. Led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC is a
powerhouse team. However, the differences in experience could be
OKC’s downfall. A battle-tested Lakers squad might end their season
much earlier than expected.
The Lakers’ next matchup comes
on Friday night against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers
(41-33).
