The Los Angeles Lakers ended what had been a three-game losing streak last night, defeating the Indiana Pacers 120-119. It was a tough game for the Lakers, who looked set for a fourth loss. LeBron James tipped the ball in for a game-winner after Luka Doncic missed his winning attempt. After the shot went down, Doncic looked relieved that LeBron spared him some blushes with his winner.
Ironically, it was James that struggled for a majority of the game, putting up just 13 points (4-12 FG), 13 rebounds, seven assists, and one steal. But when the rubber met the road, LeBron was able to step up in the big moment and secure what turned out to be a massive win for the Lakers on the road. James may not have started the game well, but he did the important thing: finishing the game well.
As for Doncic, he shouldn't let his missed game-winning attempt sour what had been a strong performance for him yet again. The Slovenian superstar had 34 points (11-21 FG), seven rebounds, seven assists, and one block. His overall performance played a big part in the Lakers still sticking around in the game long enough for them to get the win on the night.
Fans were thrilled to see the Lakers get an important win on the night. Doncic may have failed to sink the game-winning shot, but he should remember what LeBron James said to him when he first arrived in LA - he needs to fit out rather than fit in.
The Lakers stay put at fourth in the Western Conference with this win, moving to 44-28 for the season. With just 10 games left, the Lakers are staring down the barrel of a tough closing stretch as they look to rack up enough wins to surpass the Nuggets and Rockets, who sit above them in the West and snatch the second seed for themselves, heading into what will be a challenging playoff run.
In their next 10 games, the Lakers play the Bulls, the Grizzlies, the Rockets twice, the Warriors, the Pelicans, the Thunder twice, the Mavericks, and the Trail Blazers. Wins over the Grizzlies, Rockets, and Warriors are crucial for the Lakers, as all these teams are close enough to them in the standings to close the gap over the remaining stretch of the season.
They also should make sure to win their games against the Bulls, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers, as they are far inferior teams, and losing those games would be doing significant damage to their playoff seeding at the end of the season.
But the two most enticing fixtures for fans will be their two games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder have the best record in the NBA this season and are considered too tall a mountain for the Lakers to climb if they face them in the playoffs. At least one win over the Thunder would do a lot to bolster their confidence and sow a seed of doubt among the Thunder players about their invincibility.
