The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a freefall and their fanbase finds itself held hostage on a sinking ship that is leading to nowhere. At this point, the only questions that matter for this team is A) Will this team even make the play-in tournament and B) Will LeBron James win the scoring title this year. Both questions are sad at this point and stomach-turning.
Before the game started against the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves back in the 10th and last spot of the play-in tournament not because they are this grand franchise that can make a run this year. They had it gift wrapped because San Antonio Spurs guard, Keldon Johnson can’t hit a simple layup…
Spurs lose as Keldon Johnson's layup rims out 😅
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 31, 2022
The Los Angeles Lakers are now back IN the play-in game pic.twitter.com/GjephhskD8
But does it really matter? Let’s look at the data of the challenges of this team…like again.
- The Spurs still own the tiebreaker over the Lakers.
- The Pelicans still own the tiebreaker over the Lakers.
- Meaning… the Lakers still have to finish higher than both teams record-wise…PERIOD!
- But to do that, the Lakers have to win more than two straight games which they haven’t accomplished in three months!
- How about win a game period and stop worrying about other NBA team helping them out.
- All of that and the Lakers have to stay competitive against NBA teams through at least the first quarter.
The Los Angeles Lakers lose (Again!) to the Utah Jazz 122-109 for their fourth straight loss to fall out of the top 10 seeds (Again!) going into Friday’s matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans have already embarrassed the Lakers twice this season, but LeBron James is supposed to return and Anthony Davis is a game-time decision.
In other words, just hope that New Orleans just starts resting players or have a night off shooting.
The good from the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss:
Dwight Howard continues to play good basketball when he gets the chance!
There are probably three million reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers have underachieved this season. Frank Vogel’s philosophy on giving minutes to Dwight Howard is reason number three million and one. In recent games, Dwight has really played good, spirited basketball. He finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds. It seems every time Vogel feels the need to sit him, the defense collapses.
Howard was sitting to start the final quarter and the Jazz picked up three fouls on the Lakers at the drop of a hat. They got in the bonus with 7 minutes left in the game and the Lakers were held at bay from then on.
Russell Westbrook continues to play good basketball when he gets the chance!
It’s really a shame that Russ’ improved play is getting wasted at this point. He is really trying to fit in with this offensive scheme (Also read: Let’s just wing it when LeBron is out!) that the Lakers have to roll with at this point. Westbrook finished with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists.
Gotta hit those free throws Russ…gotta hit those free throws.
D.J. Augustin continues to shoot the ball well. But he does not get the chance!
Since the Minnesota game, D.J. Augustin has been shooting lights out from behind the 3 point line. But he doesn’t get enough minutes to hurt the opposition. Remember this was the guy that hit seven 3 point shots without a miss this season.
Augustin knocked down 3-4 shots from distance in 20 minutes. The problem is, most of those minutes were when the game was over.
The Los Angeles Lakers really did try folks. They just didn’t have enough to stay with the Jazz.
It’s sad that the staff of Lake Show Life has to point out that the Lakers showed heart and played with effort, but here we are at this point of the season.