Lakers' Most Pivotal Matchups After 2022 NBA All-Star Break
It's now or never for the Los Angeles Lakers.
A preseason pick to win the NBA's Western Conference, the Purple and Gold instead stumbled into the All-Star break with a 27-31 record and the conference's No. 9 seed in hand.
Avoiding the play-in tournament might be more than this club can handle—it's six games back of the sixth-seeded Denver Nuggets—so the best hope for the Lakers could be climbing up to seventh or eighth and improving its odds of winning a play-in game and advancing to the opening round.
With that backdrop in mind, let's spotlight the three most critical contests left on the Lakers' remaining slate.
Friday, Feb. 25: Vs. Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers might not have Kawhi Leonard (ACL) or Paul George (elbow), but they do have a better record over their past 10 games (5-5) than the Lakers (3-7), not to mention a 1.5-game edge in the standings.
If the Lakers are going to rise above ninth, the Clippers are the first team standing in their path. Opening the stretch run with a win over their Crypto.com Arena co-tenants could be the momentum boost this bunch badly needs after an eerily silent trade deadline.
The Lakers won't have Anthony Davis for this contest (foot), but he is set to miss much of their remaining schedule, so learning to win without him sooner rather than later is imperative.
If L.A. can tackle that task while climbing closer to the No. 8 seed, that's a two-birds-with-one-stone type of victory.
Wednesday, March 16: At Minnesota Timberwolves
The Association's play-in tournament, first adopted last season, features built-in advantages for the seventh and eighth seeds. They get two chances to win one game to secure a first-round ticket, while Seed Nos. 9 and 10 must survive two consecutive win-or-go-home contests to advance.
The Minnesota Timberwolves reside in the No. 7 spot. The gap between them and the Lakers is 3.5 games for now, and the Wolves are threatening to widen it. Minnesota entered intermission having won seven of its past 10 games and 15 of its past 23.
The Timberwolves have the offensive firepower to overwhelm their opponents. If two of Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell have it rolling on the same night, that can be more than most opponents can handle. If all three have it going, good luck.
The Lakers have dropped two of three to the Timberwolves this term, but come mid-March, they will have a chance to even this series. This game opens a four-game road trip (the longest remaining on L.A.'s schedule), so starting it on the right foot could be the push this team needs to propel it to the finish line.
Friday, April 1: Vs. New Orleans Pelicans
A losing streak could change this, but the Lakers don't seem in serious jeopardy of slipping out of the play-in tournament. They have a 4.5-game cushion over both the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans, who are slotted 11th and 12th in the conference standings.
Should either club be able to push the Lakers, the Pelicans might be the most likely. They made a big swing at the deadline for CJ McCollum, and—who knows—maybe Zion Williamson even makes an appearance before the curtain drops. Pair those two with Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas, and the Pels could be pretty good.
The Lakers will have enough trouble jostling with clubs closer to them in the standings, so they don't need the added distraction of fending off a late-riser.
L.A. will lock horns with New Orleans three times before the campaign closes, but it's the final meeting that looms largest. This contest comes on the back end of a back-to-back (the Lakers will play in Salt Lake City the previous night) and will be the club's third game in four nights. Survive this matchup, and L.A. might be in good shape to at least avoid the disaster scenario of missing out on the play-in tournament entirely.