The Los Angeles Lakers’ indignity was predictable on Tuesday, however that doesn’t imply it counts any much less in the standings.
The Lakers confronted the NBA’s high staff, the Oklahoma City Thunder whereas lacking Luka Dončić (out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring strain), LeBron James (out Tuesday with a foot injury), Austin Reaves (out for the rest of the regular season with an oblique strain), Marcus Smart (out since March 21 with an ankle harm) and Jaxson Hayes (out Tuesday with foot soreness).
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That’s 4 starters and a rotation huge man, in opposition to a staff that beat them by 43 points last week. This time, the Thunder beat them 123-87, handing L.A. its third straight loss after a stretch in which it received 13 of 14 video games.
On the brilliant facet, Bronny James had a pleasant dunk on his approach to 4 factors on 2-of-9 taking pictures.
With their high gamers out, Rui Hachimura led the staff in scoring with 15 factors on 7-of-10 taking pictures. DeAndre Ayton, the Lakers’ lone remaining starter from their common unit in the last few months, posted solely three factors on 1-of-4 taking pictures and three rebounds in 23 minutes.
When requested why the staff hasn’t been in a position to characteristic Ayton extra these days, head coach JJ Redick provided a blunt assessment:
“He’s having trouble catching the ball. We’ve ran a bunch of plays for him, he’s just had trouble catching the ball. I don’t know if that’s the passing or if it’s him trying to get position. He hasn’t been able to catch the ball.”
Clinta Capela is probably laughing somewhere.
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Redick additionally downplayed an in-huddle argument with Jarred Vanderbilt, calling it “nothing personal” and about getting on the same page. Vanderbilt reportedly left the world with out taking questions.
It’s wanting dire for the Lakers
The Lakers have been third in the Western Conference standings once they entered final week’s sport in opposition to the Thunder and at the moment are sitting in fourth. They are additionally in hazard of falling to fifth behind the Houston Rockets and dropping home-court benefit in the primary spherical.
The Rockets moved one step nearer to making {that a} actuality later Tuesday with a 119-105 win over the Phoenix Suns. Both the Lakers and Rockets at the moment are each 50-29, with Los Angeles holding the tiebreaker. Here’s how every staff’s remaining schedule breaks down.
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Lakers: at Warriors, Suns, Jazz
Rockets: 76ers, Timberwolves, Grizzlies
The Lakers nonetheless maintain fourth place through the tiebreaker, however want to win at the least as many video games because the Rockets from right here on out regardless of their lacking gamers.
Los Angeles is in no hazard of slipping to sixth, however its fall from third nonetheless means it’s staring down a matchup with the Thunder in the occasion of a victorious first spherical, which is by no means a given. It’s unclear when Dončić and Reaves, their two main scorers, can be in a position to return throughout the postseason.
That can be why the NBA’s hottest staff is now a +30000 underdog (i.e. 300-to-1) to win the NBA Finals at BetMGM proper now.
