Coming out of the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in what has become a familiar place – on the outside looking in at the NBA Playoffs. With 25 games remaining, the Lakers are three games back from the L.A. Clippers, who currently hold the eighth and final playoff spot in a Western Conference that’s packed tighter than a clown car.
No matter what happens, multiple quality teams in the conference will be sitting at home this postseason, and what happens over the final stretch will determine whether the Lakers will be one of them.
There are no guarantees that they will make it, especially given the recent quality of their play.