LOS ANGELES — With three games remaining in the regular season and seeded in the playoffs, the team Los Angeles Lakers played their stars last Wednesday Laser cutting.
The question is, after a 125-118 loss in a game where the Lakers were 24 points behind, was it worth it when they should have just prioritized rest to try to be as agile as possible. maybe for two regular season game finals this weekend?
“It was one of the hardest games we’ve had this year,” said LeBron James, who scored 30 of his team’s top 33 points after halftime but also had six of his team’s highest spins. “Starting the trip and coming back late last night, after an extra-time game … this was one of the scheduling conflicts of the season and we certainly had the best tonight. “
James and Anthony Davis both were listed as problematic with their respective foot injuries, but the Lakers upgraded them about 45 minutes before the start of the game and both started the game.
Davis had 17 points, 11 rebounds and two saves, playing in his first head-to-head series since November – before he suffered a bone spur and stress reaction in his right foot in October. 12 put him off 20 games.
“I’ve gotten better,” he said when asked how his feet felt after the game. “But I’ll be fine.”
The Lakers — coming to the end of a four-game, eight-day trip that includes an extra night of unplanned in Minneapolis because of a snowstorm and an overtime game in Salt Lake City on Tuesday as the finale — encounter a… Clippers chainsaw service, ENGLISH Kawhi Leonard and Co. have been waiting for the game in LA with three full days off since their last game on Saturday.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said: “Conditions should not be used as a crutch. “They’re just realities. The real NBA schedule. Everyone goes through it at some point in their schedule every year.”
D’Angelo Russellwho was sidelined Tuesday with pain in his left foot, and Mo BambaRetired from the beginning of March because of high ankle sprain, also upgraded to available.
Russell has 15 points shooting 6 to 13 and 7 assists in 40 minutes. Bamba didn’t join the game.
“Just trying to stay on track,” Russell said of his leg injury. “Playing with 50 percent doesn’t help the team. Whenever I’m more than that, I’m ready to play.”
Crypto.com Arena livers entered Wednesday night with an identical 41-38 record, with the Clippers owning the cracker.
Wednesday’s results put the Clippers in fifth place, one game ahead of the Lakers, and the winning goal. Lakers are in 7th place with previous home games phoenix sun on Friday and Utah Jazz remaining Sunday.
The Lakers were still able to catch the 6th seed and avoid a play-in with a 2-0 scoreline combined with golden empire warriors ends 1-1. Warriors have road games with King Sacramento And Portland Trail Blazers remaining.
“Wherever we end up, that’s where we end up,” James said. “It’s like four or five seasons in one to us. We don’t have the right to say, ‘Here’s what we need to do. This is where we’re going.’ We still need to keep playing good basketball.
He added: “We’ll see. Wherever we fall, we’ll be ready to go.”
