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The Lakers took a little bit of successful to their playoff hopes Sunday night time following a 112-108 loss to the New York Knicks that knocked Los Angeles out of the playoff image for the second.
With the loss, L.A. fell to 33-35 and is now the eleventh seed within the Western Convention, simply exterior of the play-in slots after getting into the night time because the ninth seed. However that’s simply how tight it’s within the West for the time being.
The excellent news for Anthony Davis and Co. is that the staff has managed to remain afloat within the absence of LeBron James, who has missed a number of video games with a foot tendon harm and is predicted to overlook a number of extra.
However with about 15 video games left within the season, the Lakers should get shifting, or they could possibly be caught slipping.
Listed here are the up to date standings and a few perception on what to sit up for over the the ultimate few weeks of the common season.
Japanese Convention Standings
1. Milwaukee Bucks (48-19)
2. Boston Celtics (47-21)
3. Philadelphia 76ers (45-22)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (43-27)
5. Brooklyn Nets (39-29)
6. New York Knicks (40-30)
7. Miami Warmth (36-33)
8. Atlanta Hawks (34-34)
9. Toronto Raptors (32-36)
10. Chicago Bulls (31-36)
11. Indiana Pacers (31-37)
12. Washington Wizards (31-37)
13. Orlando Magic (28-40)
14. Charlotte Hornets (22-48)
15. Detroits Pistons (15-53)
Western Convention Standings
1. Denver Nuggets: (46-22)
2. Sacramento Kings: (40-26)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (40-26)
4. Phoenix Suns: (37-30)
5. Los Angeles Clippers (36-33)
6. Golden State Warriors (35-33)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves (34-34)
8. Dallas Mavericks (34-34)
9. Utah Jazz (33-35)
10. Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (33-35)
11. Los Angeles Lakers (33-35)
12. New Orleans Pelicans (33-35)
13. Portland Path Blazers (31-37)
14. San Antonio Spurs: (17-50)
15. Houston Rockets: (15-52
Within the East, the battle on the high nonetheless has an extended method to go after Milwaukee took the highest seed from Boston however hasn’t managed to tug fully away from the Celtics. The hole between the 2 is simply 1.5 video games.
Boston and Milwaukee are set to face yet another time on March 30 in a recreation that’s certain to have big seeding implications.
There’s additionally fairly the battle occurring between the Knicks and Nets for the fifth and sixth seeds. The neighboring groups have flip-flopped a number of occasions over the previous couple of weeks, most lately with Brooklyn taking again the No. 5 seed.
One of many extra stunning developments is that the Miami Warmth haven’t managed to work their manner out of the play-in spots and have really fallen even additional behind the No. 6 seed, with the hole between them and the Knicks at 3.5 video games.
Whereas Miami has proven glimpses of being the staff that was the No. 1 seed within the East final season, it hasn’t proven sufficient consistency to seem like any kind of contender.
With time operating out, it seems to be just like the Warmth are headed for his or her first play-in event.
In contrast to the East, the highest of the Western has remained regular, with the Nuggets nonetheless sitting atop the convention with a five-game lead over the Sacramento Kings.
The place issues get actually fascinating is in the course of the standings, the place simply 4.5 video games separate the fifth seed from the thirteenth seed.
It is what has allowed a staff just like the Lakers, who bought off to a sluggish begin in 2022, to have the ability to climb up the standings so rapidly.
With nearly a month left within the common season, there’s certain to be loads extra twists and turns that’ll go away the convention wanting fully completely different.
