During a season in which their destiny has been altered about as frequently as a “Back To The Future” polaroid, the Los Angeles Lakers actually control it with three games to play. If the Lakers win their final three, they
During a season in which their destiny has been altered about as frequently as a “Back To The Future” polaroid, the Los Angeles Lakers actually control it with three games to play. If the Lakers win their final three, they hold off the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final playoff spot. If not, they leave the door open for a long offseason with an endless dissection of players, coaches and strategy.
Just making the playoffs wasn’t the intention back in November. General manager Mitch Kupchak put these particular players together in order to win a championship this season, but early defensive troubles, panic-button coaching decisions and scattered injuries sent the Lakers spiraling downward in January, losing 10 of 12 to drop to a season-worst eight games under .500 (17-25) – hardly a championship level.
Since that time, L.A. has managed to turn things around enough to not only be in the playoff mix, but one of the league’s better teams. It enters today with a 42-37 record, having gone 25-12 (.676) since that low point at the end of January. Yes, it’s just a 37-game sample size, but only four teams (Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets) have better than a .676 win percentage for the season. So while they’re still clawing for a playoff spot, they’ve actually played much better than the position they’re hoping to attain.
With that spot now within reach, they get their final three games at home, but face a trio of playoff teams, starting tonight with the Golden State Warriors. The Spurs pay a visit on Sunday and the Houston Rockets wrap up the schedule on Wednesday.
The Jazz, sitting a game back at 41-38, take on the Minnesota Timberwolves twice, first tonight in Utah, then Monday in Minnesota, before ending the season Wednesday in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Utah does have the tiebreaker, so L.A. must maintain or improve upon that one-game lead.
The Jazz seem to have the easier road, with Minnesota at 29-49 on the season. The Lakers face three tough teams, though the Warriors and Rockets aren’t playing for much with any changes in the standings somewhat inconsequential. The Spurs are still battling for the West’s top seed, but they won’t hesitate to rest their stars if it seems justifiable.
No matter the situation, the name on the front or back of an opponent’s jersey hasn’t seemed to affect Kobe Bryant as of late. Bryant has been nothing short of spectacular for a player of any age, let alone a 34-year-old in his 17th NBA season. He is coming off perhaps his best game of the year (47 points, eight rebounds, five assists, four blocks, three steals) in a Wednesday road win at Portland. He’s averaging 46(!) minutes a night over the past six games, during which the Lakers are 5-1.
Whoever gets the 8-seed will likely be served up as an appetizer for either the Thunder or Spurs in the first round. Even with the Lakers’ strong play of late, the energy it has taken just to reach this point has been too much to again summon in a road series against an elite team. However, it would have been easy for Bryant and the Lakers to bow out of this thing weeks ago and they elected to do the opposite. It’s a small point of pride in what will likely be viewed as a season of disappointment, but it should be enough to have faith in the formula.
• ‘My Thoughts Exactly’ appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays in The Garden Island. Email David Simon your comments or questions to dsimon@thegardenisland.com. Follow David on Twitter @SimonTGI
