The Los Angeles Lakers lost three critical games recently — two to the Sacramento Kings and one to the Golden State Warriors. It virtually killed their chances of finishing in the top six in the Western Conference and avoiding the play-in tournament, and it’s almost a lock they will finish either ninth or 10th in the Western Conference.
Los Angeles looked good on Monday when it pounded the Atlanta Hawks 136-105. Its balanced offense led to six players scoring in double figures, 23 fast-break points and 39 assists. These numbers the team is capable of putting up on a consistent basis.
However, it doesn’t do so on a consistent basis, and its defense has been even more problematic lately. That is why former Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce seemed totally unimpressed with Monday’s blowout win over a sub-.500 Hawks team that was without All-Star Trae Young. His reasoning is the Lakers need to play this well offensively more often, especially against quality teams, which he feels they’re capable of doing.
.@paulpierce34 isn’t buying the Lakers after win over the Hawks:
“I need to see them do this consistently against good teams. This means nothing.” pic.twitter.com/RB9dva0FnE
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 19, 2024
We hate to say this, given the fact that Pierce was a major antagonist for the Lakers back during the Kobe Bryant era, but Pierce is right. Not only have this season’s Lakers not won consistently enough against quality teams, but they have dropped the ball many times and lost to inferior teams, often by wide margins.
The play-in tournament will be difficult for them, and if they get past it, the first round of the playoffs, which could put them against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, will not be any easier. With just over three weeks left in the regular season, now is the time for the Lakers to start building and ingraining good habits in earnest.
Right now is their play-in tournament.