After losing to the Houston Rockets 114-110 on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers lost an important chance to move up in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets controlled the paint, scoring 78 points to the Lakers’ 46, and only managed to secure their 17th victory of the season as Anthony Davis was absent.
The Lakers had trouble right away, even though the game was thought to be winnable. The Rockets got out to a terrific start, shooting over 60% in the first quarter and scoring 20 of their first 31 points in the paint, exposing the Lakers’ undersized frontcourt and drawing attention to Davis’ absence.
Austin Reaves and the other bench players put forth a valiant effort to try to spark the Lakers’ lifeless offense, despite it seeming the majority of the team was having trouble. Reaves put on a strong performance in the first half, scoring 13 points, dishing out four assists, and grabbing two rebounds, but his efforts fell short of closing the scoreboard disparity. In the break, the Rockets were in a double-digit advantage.
In order to provide more size inside during the second half, Wenyen Gabriel was started over Rui Hachimura by Lakers coach Darvin Ham. The Lakers were able to fight their way back into the game, and The game was decided, nonetheless, by Houston’s strong performance in the last frame. Despite their best efforts, the Lakers, who were in need of the victory, were unable to secure the victory that ultimately mattered the most at this stage of the season.
In conclusion, the Lakers loss to the Rockets was a squandered chance to move up in the standings of the Western Conference. The fact that Anthony Davis wasn’t there helped the Rockets take advantage of the Lakers’ undersized frontcourt. The Lakers were unable to secure a victory despite efforts by the bench players, headed by Austin Reaves, to spark the offense and a personnel change that added additional size. Close the 18-point deficit thanks to this change and an uptick in their three-point shooting.
Lakers’ chance at the playoffs: Will Anthony Davis play in the upcoming games?
After defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 123-108, the LA Lakers secured the final play-in position in the Western Conference and are actively pursuing the playoffs.
The Lakers are only three games ahead of the 13th-placed Portland Trail Blazers, so even though they are only two games behind the fifth-seeded Golden State Warriors, they still run the risk of losing all hope of making the playoffs. Nine of the Lakers’ last 13 games, though, will be against groups with records below.500, including contests with Dallas, Orlando, and OKC as well as games against Houston, Utah, and Chicago.
LeBron James’ right foot ailment has kept him out indefinitely from playing, while Anthony Davis will miss the second part of the Lakers’ upcoming back-to-back games due to injury management. In spite of this, the Lakers still have a great chance to advance in the standings with their remaining games.
