The final week of the NBA regular season has begun with the high probability that the Los Angeles Lakers cannot if they want to reach the play-in as they are two games behind the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference standings with only four games to play.
The Lakers are playing their worst basketball of the year right at the worst time of the year as they are on a six-game losing streak and need to not lose any more if they are to have any hope, however slim, of not pulling off one of the biggest season fiascos in NBA history.
The fiasco of the Lakers’ season
After acquiring in free agency Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, among others, Los Angeles was considered the favorite of many, at least, to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, however, not only is it almost a fact that they will not meet those expectations, but everything seems to indicate that they will be unable to even make the playoffs, that means not even being among the top 10 of 15 teams that make up this sector.
On the other side of the story are Gregg Popovich‘s Spurs, who two years ago broke an impressive streak of 22 consecutive seasons in the playoffs, the leader in games won as coach tied two campaigns without extra games, something that had never happened to him since he took full time command of the team in 1997.
Western Conference Play-In Scenarios
With San Antonio having the tiebreaker against Los Angeles in its favor, the scenario is simple, the Lakers have to win three more games than the Spurs this week to enter the playoffs, that is, if the Southern California team goes undefeated, the Texas team needs two wins, if LeBron James‘ team wins three of four, Dejounte Murray‘s team needs one win, if the team that is tied for the most NBA championships with the Boston Celtics wins two or less games, the story for them this season is over.
Lakers remaining games
Tuesday, April 5 – @ Phoenix Suns
Thursday, April 7 – @ Golden State Warriors
Friday, April 8 – vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Sunday, April 10 – @ Denver Nuggets
Spurs remaining games
Tuesday, April 5 – @ Denver Nuggets
Thursday, April 7 – @ Minnesota Timberwolves
Saturday, April 9 – vs. Golden State Warriors
Sunday, April 10 – @ Dallas Mavericks
Marca
