It seemed like the Los Angeles Lakers had turned their season around. But a recent skid has them looking at rock bottom again.
Things were looking up in Los Angeles. Dennis Schroder was making everything. Thomas Bryant was dunking everything. Super Saiyan LeBron was back and the Lakers had won six of seven games. Things took a turn with a 13-point loss to the Nuggets and now the Lakers have slid right back down the standings losing four of the last five.
Here’s what the Western Conference NBA standings look like right now (as of Jan. 20):
- Denver Nuggets — 31-13
- Memphis Grizzlies — 31-13
- Sacramento Kings — 25-18
- New Orleans Pelicans — 26-19
- Dallas Mavericks — 24-22
- Utah Jazz — 24-24
- Minnesota Timberwolves — 23-24
- Los Angeles Clippers — 23-24
- Golden State Warriors — 22-23
- Oklahoma City Thunder — 22-23
- Phoenix Suns — 22-24
- Portland Trail Blazers — 21-24
- Los Angeles Lakers — 20-25
- San Antonio Spurs — 14-31
- Houston Rockets — 10-35
On one hand, the Lakers are only two games back of the No. 7 seed. On the other, the only teams with a worse record are the Spurs and Rockets, meaning the Lakers have been the worst of any team that’s actually trying to make the playoffs.
Will the Lakers be able to turn things around and make the playoffs?
As of today, FiveThirtyEight gives the Lakers just a 19 percent chance of making the postseason. They play the Grizzlies at home tonight and will be favored in just two games over the next week (against the Clippers and Spurs) before they head out for a five-game road trip that includes a three-games-in-four-nights stretch and matchups against the Celtics, Nets, Knicks, Pacers and Pelicans — five current playoff teams.
There is still plenty of time for the Lakers to turn this season around, but things might get worse before they get better.
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