Tough one on Sunday night for all of you Los Angeles Lakers fans out there. They were eliminated by the playoff bound Orlando Magic in their final game 118-106. This loss is their third in a row, including an embarrassing blowout to the Chicago Bulls. With that win, the Lakers have pulled even with the Memphis Grizzlies for #8 in the Western Conference. Both squads are now two games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have clinched the first seed. The victory was particularly sweet, as the game was in Orlando, making this the Magic’s first home win since February.
Franz Wagner, who brought a career-high 32 points to the party, led the charge for Orlando. His fellow Rookie of the Year candidate, teammate Paolo Banchero, pumped in an additional 30 points. The Magic seized control in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 34-18. This strategic change would ultimately be the game’s turning point. The Lakers scrambled fiercely to cut the lead, making it as close as seven points with under a quarter left in the game. The Magic pulled away again almost immediately.
LeBron James’ absence was apparent on the court, as he had just missed seven games with a groin injury. With his return, these next few weeks of practice time will be crucial for reintegrating the Lakers’ most important players into the Lakers’ lineup. Head Coach JJ Redick responded to the team’s defensive issues. He noted that the absence of intensity was a main factor for their recent stretch of losses.
Especially with how ridiculously tight the Western Conference standings are. The Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Memphis Grizzlies are all within two and a half games of the second-placed Houston Rockets. This makes every single game that much more critical as teams look to position themselves as best they can heading into the playoffs.
