The Los Angeles Lakers have been through a lot over the last two years, but they have a shot at returning to the NBA playoffs after last season turned into an unmitigated disaster.
They ended their regular season by getting past a depleted Utah Jazz squad on Sunday, 128-117, giving them a 43-39 record and seventh place in the Western Conference.
The position of several teams in the West standings was in question until Sunday afternoon, but the Purple and Gold will participate in the play-in tournament against the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Tuesday.
A win on Tuesday would give L.A. the seventh seed in the playoffs. If it loses, it will have one more chance to make the playoffs as the eighth seed by facing the winner of the New Orleans Pelicans-Oklahoma City Thunder play-in contest.
The Lakers lost two of their three regular season games against Minnesota during the regular season. However, they will be getting some help. Forward Jaden McDaniels, a standout defender, suffered a fractured hand on Sunday.
McDaniels' impact has been immense this season, especially on the defensive end. He's one of six players to defend 2022-2023 All-Stars at least 1,000 times this season, per @StatsWilliams. Now, he's lost vs. LeBron James and Lakers in Play-In game on Tuesday — and beyond. https://t.co/gI2FeJ5Ldb
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 9, 2023
In addition, Rudy Gobert was sent home by the team during Sunday’s game after he threw a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson.
Over their last few games, the Lakers have seemed somewhat complacent at times. It is imperative they do not become overconfident or nonchalant against a presumably short-handed Timberwolves team, especially since anything can happen in one game.
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