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After 62 games, the LA Lakers playoff picture is becoming clearer. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are once again spearheading the team's efforts to climb the Western Conference standings, aiming to replicate their late-season surge from the previous year.
Following a historic night of LeBron James reaching 40,000 points in the NBA, the Lakers suffered a disappointing 124-114 loss after squandering a first-half lead to the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets.
On that note, we delve into the LA Lakers' playoff picture and assess their opportunities for improving their record.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Team standings
The LA Lakers boast a winning record of 33-29 but find themselves in 10th place in the Western Conference.
At their current pace, they're on track to secure the last spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament. With a 5.5-game lead over the Utah Jazz, it would require significant misfortune for the Lakers to lose their play-in position.
To climb up to sixt place in the Conference, though, the Lakers would need to surpass the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns. The gap between the Suns and Lakers is just three games, leaving plenty of time for movement between teams with 20 more games left.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Schedule
Between Mar. 4 and Apr. 14, the Lakers will play 20 games, with 11 at home and nine on the road. Their next four games will be at the Crypto.com Arena, promising a challenging stretch, with matchups against the OKC Thunder, Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.
It's crucial for the Lakers to capitalize on their homecourt advantage, given their success of winning 21 of 31 home games this season. With eight of the next nine games scheduled in Los Angeles, they have ample opportunity to secure some wins before embarking on a six-game road trip starting March 26.
As the season draws to a close, from Apr. 6 to 14, the Lakers will play three of their last five games at home, wrapping up their regular-season campaign.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: X-Factor
With the Lakers cramming to get more wins to gain a better position in the playoffs, there are a few players they hope would to step up and help LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
All eyes are on D'Angelo Russell, whose improved gameplay is a sign of potentially good things to come. If the 2019 NBA All-Star needs to come out as the clear third-best offensive scorer for the team to improve the Lakers' playoff picture.
Austin Reaves and the newly acquired Spencer Dinwiddie will look to play key roles as well supporting the Lakers' stars players.
