At this stage, the scenarios are all easy to identify.
To have the best chance at avoiding a pair of road play-in games, the Lakers need to win. To give themselves some hope of a home play-in game, they need to win. And for the loftiest goal — a spot inside the top of the six spots in the West — the Lakers need to win.
A lot.
And Monday’s performance made all paths for the Lakers seem possible.
With LeBron James flying around on defense, with Austin Reaves impacting the game on both ends, with Anthony Davis dominating the basket and D’Angelo Russell making all kinds of different plays, the Lakers looked like a menace.