The Los Angeles Lakers face a season-defining two games on Thursday and Friday night, you can watch both games live on Sky Sports Arena starting with their clash against the Clippers on from 3am on Friday morning
https://resources.skysports.com/embed/amp/video/5370900#amp=1Mo Mooncey feels LeBron James shouldn’t focus his anger at the idea of the play-in tournament, but at his team for letting him down whilst he’s been injured.
How have the LA Lakers, widely tipped as the red-hot favourites for the NBA title at the start of the year, found themselves in a three-way battle to avoid slipping into the play-in tournament that has drawn the ire of LeBron James? Ahead of a potentially defining 48 hours, Huw Hopkins runs the rule over how we landed here
To avoid future play-in games, LeBron and the Lakers need a third star.
Live NBA: LA Lakers @ LA Clippers 06.05
Friday 7th May 3:00am
Los Angeles Lakers (37-28) – Remaining matches
May 7@ LA ClippersMay 8@ Portland Trail BlazersMay 10vs New York KnicksMay 12vs Phoenix SunsMay 13vs Houston RocketsMay 15vs Indiana PacersMay 16vs New Orleans Pelicans
On February 14, the Denver Nuggets beat the LA Lakers 122-105, but the bigger loss was All-Star Anthony Davis, who injured his leg in the contest.
The Lakers had a good record of 21-7 up to that point, and the team was managing to hold things together with LeBron James leading the charge. They went 7-6 in the next few weeks, but James then suffered an ankle injury on March 20, which ended in a loss, and he wouldn’t return for 20 games.
Without Davis and James, the Lakers fell apart, and as a result, the reigning champions have slipped down the standings and are battling the Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks for playoff positioning. Whoever finishes fifth and sixth will advance to the playoffs, for those that finish seven it will be the NBA’s new play-in tournament.
And LeBron does not like the idea.
https://resources.skysports.com/embed/amp/video/5365053#amp=1LeBron James had some choice words for the NBA’s playoff play-in tournament format when asked about the Lakers potentially having to earn their spot into the main post-season draw.Get NBA news on your phoneWant the latest NBA news, features and highlights on your phone? Find out more
Winding up as seventh seed would be seen as an embarrassment for the league’s most elite franchise, as they would have to compete in a play-in tournament, the lottery of a one-game shoot-out – possibly against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors – does not have the luxury of the series nature of the play-offs.
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