Los Angeles Lakers: 3 things needed to catch Milwaukee Bucks in standings
The Los Angeles Lakers have a legitimate chance at chasing down the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 1 seed in the NBA playoffs. Accomplishing these three things will help them close that gap and take the lead.
With the grueling weekend behind them, the Los Angeles Lakers have clinched their first playoff birth since 2013 and have arguably cemented themselves as the team to beat in the NBA. Although the team is firing on all cylinders, can they catch the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA this season?
After a convincing 113-103 win against those league-leading Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, the Lakers carried the momentum into Sunday with a thrilling comeback against the rival Los Angeles Clippers.
LeBron James led the charge on Friday with 37 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, but Anthony Davis added 30 points of his own to go along with nine rebounds.
On Sunday, the stars continued their dominance. Anthony Davis notched another 30 points and added eight rebounds while LeBron James put up 28 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. However, it was Avery Bradley’s 24 points on an impressive 6-of-12 from behind the arc that propelled the Lakers to victory.
Despite shooting just 7-17 from the floor, LeBron James was seemingly everywhere. Whether it was guarding Kawhi Leonard, taking over the fourth-quarter scoring, or diving for loose balls, James was determined to do anything and everything to win.
The 35-year-old ageless wonder continues to strengthen his MVP case with Kobe-esque aggression in the clutch and a reignited passion for the defense that we haven’t seen since 2016. If that’s not exciting enough for Lakers fans, Anthony Davis has played well enough to see MVP votes of his own this season.
As we enter the final 20 games of the regular season, the Lakers sit just two games behind Milwaukee in the loss column. With four of their next five games coming against the Nuggets, Rockets, and Utah Jazz (twice), there’s still plenty of room for error.
Here’s what they’ll need to do to finish with the league’s best record.