After finishing up a stretch against a couple of easier opponents, getting a win over the banged-up Charlotte Hornets before dropping a winnable game against the barely over .500 Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers (34-22) appear to have a tougher few games in front of them as they look to hang on to the fifth-seed in the Western Conference.
In their next four contests, the Lakers will play two games in a row against the Utah Jazz, then follow it up with a pair of games against the Dallas Mavericks, a pair of teams in the thick of the West playoff race this season.