With nine games to go in their regular-season schedule, the Los Angeles Lakers (36-37) are clinging to ninth place in the Western Conference.
They have the same record as the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder. Los Angeles will host the Thunder on Friday in a game that will definitely have playoff implications.
LeBron James continues to sit out with a right foot tendon injury, but the team reportedly hopes he will be able to play in a few games in April as the schedule wraps up.
Until then, Fox Sports 1 personality Nick Wright, a well-known James apologist, is not only very confident the Lakers will win each of their next three games, but he also declared that once they have played those contests, they will rise to sixth place in the Western Conference.
"The Lakers are going to have a 4-game win streak. On March 30th, the Lakers will be the 6th seed." — @getnickwright
👀👀 pic.twitter.com/WayZDtDPJ5
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 23, 2023
It is very possible the Purple and Gold will do exactly what Wright said. After playing the Thunder on Friday, the team will have a home-and-away set with the mediocre Chicago Bulls, a team that is hanging onto the final play-in tournament spot in the Eastern Conference. Chicago has been without former Lakers Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, and star wing DeMar DeRozan is dealing with a right quad strain.
The second of those contests against the Bulls will be the first of five straight on the road. That stretch will end at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Clippers in a game the Lakers will be designated as the visitors.
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