The time is now for the Los Angeles Lakers, who resume play on Thursday with a home game against the Golden State Warriors.
They have a 27-32 record and are in 13th place in the Western Conference, but they’re only two games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are in 10th place, and 3.5 games behind the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks.
With numerous games remaining against most of the teams that sit between them and sixth place in the West, the Lakers have a definite opportunity to make the playoffs outright and not have to go through the play-in tournament.
Head coach Darvin Ham made it clear the team wants the sixth seed rather than settling for a play-in tournament spot.
Via Los Angeles Times:
“Yeah, the goal is for us to come out and try to be the best version of ourselves each game, but definitely, if we can go and secure a spot, that is our goal right there,” Ham said. “If we fall into a play-in situation, so be it. But our No. 1 goal is to go secure a spot [and] not just throw games off here or there (and) just wish for a play-in. We want to go secure a spot.”
It seems like everyone is ready for the challenge, as LeBron James said during All-Star weekend that he wants to play in all 23 of the Lakers’ remaining games.
Getting the sixth seed is very doable because they have a very manageable schedule the rest of the way.
The Lakers are 3.5 games out of the 6th seed with 23 games left, but 6 teams sit between them and the Mavs. LA has the 3rd-easiest remaining schedule, per opponent win %, with 14 games coming at Crypto https://t.co/tn14ojNPWI
— Michael Corvo (@michaelcorvoNBA) February 22, 2023
All of the frustration they experienced so far this season — the close losses, the non-calls that went against them, the losses to teams they should’ve beaten — is in the past, and it’s time to aim high and not let their minimums be their maximums.
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