At this stage of the 2018-19 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers should have been gearing up for a deep playoff run, but are just trying to stay relatively healthy.
With the Lakers missing the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, there can be scenarios where players start playing for themselves instead of for the team.
For Los Angeles who has a roster full of one-year deals, it could be difficult to manage for head coach Luke Walton in the final stretch.
However, Walton credited his Lakers for still playing team basketball under the circumstances, according to Kyle Goon of Orange County Register:
“This time of the season, a lot of guys are trying to get stats,” coach Luke Walton said.