'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABcAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABggQAAEDBQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABQYhMQcTQgEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBEBAQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIAAyEj/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDOnjay4rfcEz5qVCW/Kii2Ox5bgSHUF+R6TtPejR0Kk3MXtjDi2lxkFTaikkL6Ro/NKUi/NSedxWsKkUHP/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The LA Lakers have spent the entire year outside the top ten of the Western Conference standings. The team is finally starting to click with their new additions at the trade deadline. Despite LeBron James' recent extended absence, the 11th-ranked Purple and Gold have stayed afloat and closed in on the gap between them and the teams ranked sixth to 10th.
With the Utah Jazz's 129-119 loss against the OKC Thunder on Sunday, the Lakers have tied them for the ninth spot in the standings. The Lakers, Jazz and the tenth-ranked Portland Trail Blazers boast a 31-34 record ahead of Tuesday's (March 7) games.
A Lakers win, a Portland and a Jazz loss in their next games could see Darvin Ham's team jump into the eighth spot. It's an increasingly likely proposition as the Lakers are going all in on their bid to make the playoffs, while the rebuilding Utah Jazz could be looking to tank for a favorable pick in the 2023 draft. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers will face the Celtics, where they will be the underdogs.
LA Lakers fans have had to wait nearly two years to be in this position again. They couldn't contain their excitement and took to Twitter to express themselves. One fan took a swipe at Russell Westbrook, saying:
"Finally in the play-in after 2 years of pain from westbum"
A few more reactions followed:
LA Lakers' chances of making the playoffs improving with every game
At the start of the season, the LA Lakers were nowhere near being considered a legitimate playoff contender. The team exhausted all its assets after the Russell Westbrook trade in 2021. It was widely believed that the team only had their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks as their most valuable assets.
However, GM Rob Pelinka and the management's patience paid off at the trade deadline. A few days before that date, they acquired Rui Hachimura, followed by the additions of D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt and Mo Bamba at the deadline.
The Lakers parted ways with only one of their two first-round picks while shipping players like Russell Westbrook, Kendrick Nunn, Patrick Beverley, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones in these trades. LA emerged as a clear winner at the deadline.
However, the LA Lakers' margin of error was less by then as they were 13th in the West with a 25-31 record. Nevertheless, the team has registered a 6-3 record since their new-look roster debuted.
During that stretch, LeBron James missed seven games and is expected to be out for at least another two weeks. It's a remarkable achievement for the Lakers to stay afloat by a significant margin without their best player.
The small gap between the teams ranked sixth and 13th, and a relatively easy schedule made things simpler for the LA Lakers. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis has re-discovered his MVP-caliber form and the role players have played out of their skins.
The Lakers have quietly closed the gap. Considering their form and easy schedule strength compared to the other playoff hopefuls, Anthony Davis and co. are in an ideal position to make the playoffs as a top-six seed.
