108-116, the Lakers lost what may have been the most pivotal game of the season so far. The regular season has come to an end, the Lakers and Pelicans, Spurs three teams in the competition for two places in the playoffs, originally, the Lakers ranked ninth, occupy the advantage, if you beat the Pelicans, the chance of playing in the playoffs is great, and now, after being reversed by the Pelicans, the Lakers' record ranking has slipped to tenth in the West.
After the Lakers were reversed by the Pelicans, the Pelicans temporarily ranked ninth in the league, 0.5 wins ahead of the Lakers, and the Lakers ranked tenth. With the current ranking, the Lakers can still participate in the playoffs, but the Spurs in the eleventh place are looking at the tiger, only one win behind the Lakers. The Trail Blazers can also compete in the playoffs, but the hope is not very big and can be ruled out for the time being.
In the future, the winner or loser of any game between the Pelicans, Lakers and Spurs may determine the final ranking. So, you can know what an important game the Lakers lost. To make matters worse, Lakers leader James suffered an injury during the game, suffering a nearly 90-degree sprain in his ankle as he rushed inside.
James played 41 minutes, cut 39 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, and was getting closer and closer to the scoring king. However, in the crucial second half, the old Zhan's efficiency declined, his physical strength was insufficient, and the Lakers were chased by the Pelicans for consecutive points. Moreover, James sprained his ankle during the game, which affected his play, according to the old Jan post-game interview, the sprain is still more serious, I don't know if I will miss the game.
According to James, after spraining his ankle, he felt very painful and hot in his ankle, and then lost all his explosive power, unable to break through to the inside line as desired, unable to exert pressure on his opponent. From the second half of the Lakers and Pelicans, James tried to shoot more 3-pointers on the outside, which also shows that after spraining his ankle, he can't do basketball at will.
James is great, at the age of 37, he can also be the most powerful contender for the scoring king, averaging 30 points per game, which is staggering. Moreover, James also became the first person in history, he is the first star in the NBA to get 37,000 points + 10,000 rebounds + 10,000 assists, it is estimated that there is no one after it.
However, the record is only a number, and the most important thing is that old Zhan can stay healthy and play the last few seasons in the best condition. The Lakers have basically lost the chance to compete for the championship, even if Davis returns, in this situation, the Lakers will have up to two rounds of level. Moreover, the Lakers will next compete with the Spurs, Pelicans and other playoffs, which seems to be at a disadvantage, for the Lakers, it may be strategic to give up the 21-22 season, to prepare for next season, but also to let James rest more.
And the domestic famous bo posted on the social media, he said bluntly, feeling that James is coming to an end this season. The implication is that the impact of this sprain on the old Zhan may be very large, and the Lakers have a poor record, and it remains to be seen whether James will finish the season.
The commentator Su Qun predicted the lakers' prospects on social media, in his view, regardless of whether the Lakers can enter the playoffs, coach Vogel will definitely leave class in the offseason. Indeed, if the Lakers are out early for two consecutive seasons, Vogel will definitely need to be responsible, after all, at the beginning of the season, the Lakers' lineup is known to be able to compete with the Nets. Now, whether the Lakers make the playoffs or not seems to be less important.