With the Western Conference a tight-knit race yet again this season, this series will look at the standings and games to watch across the league as the Lakers look to secure home court and move up the standings.
This is it, we have reached the last full week of regular-season basketball.
The Nuggets have continued to stack victories and are the hottest team in basketball, winning nine straight games. The Rockets are the second-hottest team in the league, winning six consecutive matchups. These teams
winning, along with the Lakers dealing with their crushing injuries and losing a pair of games, have dropped them to fourth in the West with just a handful of games to go.
Here’s a look at the current playoff standings in the middle of the conference:
3. Nuggets — 51-28, 11.5 GB
4. Lakers — 50-28, 12 GB
5. Rockets — 49-29, 13 GB
With the Wolves having lost three straight games, they are no longer a team that can catch the Lakers. This means LA can finish as high as three or as low as five in the West.
Let’s take a look at the big games to watch around the league for the next couple of days and who Lakers fans should be rooting for.
Tuesday
Rockets at Suns — Phoenix can still reach the sixth seed, so expect them to give a full effort in this game. They have the talent capable of beating the Rockets, but it’ll come down to players like Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks stepping up for them to do so.
Wednesday
Grizzlies at Nuggets — It’s going to be 10 straight wins for Denver once their game against Memphis concludes. The Grizzlies have lost five straight and 10 of their last 11. They have no desire to win, as they are clearly tanking in hopes of getting a top lottery pick.
Thursday
Rockets at Sixers — Philadelphia has Paul George back and he’s had some solid performances lately. PG helped the Lakers already when he scored 23 in a Sixers win over the Wolves, so maybe he can do it again on Thursday against the Rockets.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
