The Los Angeles Lakers would like to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament, but LeBron James doesn’t emphasize how things are going.
Los Angeles sits the seventh-best record in the West with two games remaining and can’t afford another setback when they host the red-hot Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
The Lakers have won seven of their last nine games but suffered a 125-118 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. The Lakers (41-39) and New Orleans Pelicans (41-39) are one game behind the Clippers (42-38) and Golden State Warriors (42-38) respectively in the battle for the final two automatic playoff spots. the West.
The 11th straight loss to the Clippers was a painful loss for the Lakers, who are now up against a Phoenix side that has won a season-high seven straight games.
“Listen, it is what it is,” James said after Wednesday’s loss. “Wherever we land, there we land. For us it was four or five seasons in one. We don’t have the luxury of saying, ‘This is what we have to do. This is where we will go Sei.’ “
The Suns (45-35) are ranked 4th in the West and could choose to rest some key players in Friday’s second game of a back-to-back set. Phoenix defeated the visiting Denver Nuggets 119-115 on Thursday night.
Remaining contenders include Kevin Durant (29 points against the Nuggets), Chris Paul (25) and Devin Booker (15). Paul made a career-best seven 3-pointers and Durant sank six Treys.
“We’re not going to make that assessment official at all right now,” Suns coach Monty Williams said after the game. “It can make sense to play one half against them, it can make sense to do something else… I’ll listen to all the information and we’ll have something by (Friday’s game).”
Paul has scored 22 and 25 points in his last two games after failing to reach 20 in his previous 27 games.
Durant believes Paul will have more scoring games in the postseason as he believes teams will make stopping himself and Booker a priority.
“I think a lot of teams are going to force[Paul]to be a goalscorer,” Durant said after the Suns improved to 8-0 with him in the lineup. “The best defenders will guard me and Book every night. He will have opportunities to be aggressive and score goals. I think every game could be different for CP. He could lead us on assists, he could lead us on points. We He just has to be aggressive.”
Paul only had two assists against Denver and didn’t get his first until the final eight minutes of the contest.
“At one point I didn’t have any assists for the game, which was weird,” Paul said. “It was never my story. But with this run we’re trying to have, it’s all it takes. I don’t care what it looks like.”
Meanwhile, James has averaged 35 points in the last two games but is ruled doubtful for Friday due to pain in his right foot. James recently returned from an injury to the same foot.
James scored 30 of his 33 second-half points during the loss to the Clippers.
Anthony Davis (right foot) is also doubtful about facing the Suns, while D’Angelo Russell (left foot) is likely.
Russell had 15 points and seven assists in 40 minutes against the Clippers after missing the Lakers’ 135-133 overtime win over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
“I’m just trying to do it right,” Russell said. “Playing at 50 percent doesn’t help the team. Anytime I’m more than that, I’m ready to play.”
Phoenix is 2-1 against the Lakers this season, but Los Angeles posted a 122-111 home win on March 22 to end a six-game slip against the Suns.
– Field level media
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