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The LA Lakers cruised to a 128-111 road win over the reeling Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, gaining crucial ground in the congested Western Conference standings.
After falling behind by eight points early in the first quarter, the Lakers rallied, closing the period on a 30-13 run to take a nine-point advantage. LA later stretched its lead to as high as 33 points in the second half en route to its 17-point victory.
Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell led the way with 25 points, seven assists and seven 3-pointers on 52.9% shooting. Meanwhile, superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 44 points.
As for the Raptors, they were led by wing RJ Barrett's game-high 28-point performance. The 23-year-old returned after missing nine consecutive games due to personal reasons/conditioning.
However, the Raptors were still without numerous key players, including star forward Scottie Barnes (hand). They were once again unable to compensate for their talent disadvantage, losing their league-worst 14th consecutive game.
On the flip side, the Lakers' victory marked their second straight and seventh in their last eight games as they continued their late-season surge. Nonetheless, they face a tough pathway to obtaining a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in tournament.
On that note, here’s a snapshot of where LA stands in the West playoff picture with six games remaining.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Tuesday’s win over Toronto, the Lakers (43-33) remain ninth in the West. They trail the seventh and eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (44-31) and Phoenix Suns (44-31) by 1.5 games. Meanwhile, they are 2.5 games behind the fifth and sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (45-30) and New Orleans Pelicans (45-30).
So, LA could still climb a few spots up the standings. However, the fifth seed is likely its ceiling, as it trails the fourth-seeded LA Clippers (47-28) by 4.5 games.
On the other hand, the Lakers could drop one spot, as they only lead the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (41-34) by 1.5 games. However, that should be their floor, given their 4.5-game cushion over the 11th-placed Houston Rockets (38-37).
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: Schedule
As for the Lakers' rest-of-season outlook, they have the NBA’s 16th-toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .496.
Four of LA's final six games come against winning teams, including key matchups against Golden State and New Orleans on April 9 and 14.
So, the Lakers will likely need to secure at least a couple of signature wins to have a chance to avoid the play-in.
LA Lakers Playoff Picture: X-factor
During their 7-1 stretch over their last eight games, the Lakers have stepped up defensively, ranking fourth in defensive rating (108.0). That marks a considerable improvement from their 14th-ranked season-long defensive rating (114.9).
Meanwhile, they have received increased production from forward Rui Hachimiura. Over his last eight games, the 26-year-old is averaging 17.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.9 3-pointers per game on 59.8% shooting. LA has benefited from his size and shooting ability in its starting five.
If the Lakers continue locking in defensively and keep getting well-rounded production from their starters, they could be a legitimate postseason threat.
Also Read: LA Lakers vs Toronto Raptors Game Results and Highlights: Top 5 viral Moments (April 2)
