The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a great win against the Golden State Warriors in their first game with their trade deadline additions. However, their second game hasn’t been an enjoyable experience.
The Lakers lost 115-127 to the Blazers, a final score that could’ve been a lot uglier if the Lakers didn’t outscore the Blazers by 10 points in the fourth. Damian Lillard led the squad with a 40-point outburst, scoring 30 of his points in the first half.
The Lakers can’t afford to lose many games on their playoff push and currently have LeBron James sidelined with a foot injury. Fans are lamenting the loss and wondering if the Lakers can make the playoffs even after James returns to the lineup with their current record.
Damian Lillard was simply unstoppable tonight:
40 PTS
6 REB
5 AST
8 3PM
13/23 FG
The #Trailblazers secured the win against the #Lakers, 127-115 🏀#RipCity #NBA pic.twitter.com/5pbW2ELwP7
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) February 14, 2023
Final from Portland. pic.twitter.com/8V5eL6Oyx4
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 14, 2023
With this loss, the Lakers will fall 2 games (3 losses) back of 12th place OKC who owns the tiebreaker over them. In addition, LA now splits the season series with the 11th place Blazers, who are 7 wins clear of them in the next tiebreaker (conference record). 24 games to play.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) February 14, 2023
I’ve never been more wrong about anything in life than I was about Darvin Ham
— 🏆LakersGuru🏆 (@GuruLakers) February 14, 2023
The last time the Lakers beat the Blazers was cuz Darvin Ham let LeBron coach the 2nd half. pic.twitter.com/nzMUqAHxFt
— El Jefe (@klutchfamilia) February 14, 2023
I can’t believe Lakers fans let Rob Pelinka use Vogel as the scapegoat. Ham is just a worse version of Vogel
— LegendOfWinning (@LegendOfWinning) February 14, 2023
The Lakers announcers do a great job of being shocked and disappointed every game the Lakers suck on defense — which is frequently, because the Lakers suck on defense.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) February 14, 2023
@Lakers it’s been real pic.twitter.com/SOpXeEoRtn
— Coach Rome (@Rome_Beast) February 14, 2023
Westbrook watching the Lakers get blown out by the Blazers with all their new players pic.twitter.com/7jU0sY7QFM
— ClipShowYo (@CIipShowYo) February 14, 2023
That’s a game the Lakers absolutely should have had a chance to win with Nurk/Grant out and it sucks they didn’t even give themselves a chance.
— Ry (@JustRyCole) February 14, 2023
The Lakers season. pic.twitter.com/NG2wimqYo5
— Colb (@___Colb___) February 14, 2023
Lakers fans trying to figure out who to blame tonight's loss on now that Westbrook is gone pic.twitter.com/nIIWHTjHPm
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 14, 2023
Ham's level of incompetence makes it really hard to win. Only calling 2 timeouts in a half where the opposing team went on a 29-5 run and a separate 12-2 run is insane.
I know the Lakers gave him a long deal but they will have some tough decisions to make about his future.
— NBAStatGuy (@NBAStatGuy_) February 14, 2023
George my friend blink once if you’d play Dennis Schröder 38 mins a night in 2023
And play drop coverage on Dame all game? Lol 🤣🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/9kvg9BA8lh
— 🏆LakersGuru🏆 (@GuruLakers) February 14, 2023
Two things can be true. The trade made the Lakers better AND Ham is a bad coach.
— QueensGambit00 (@QGambit00) February 14, 2023
Frank Vogel at home watching Darvin ham and the Lakers struggle: pic.twitter.com/Z1KPtIduA6
— The Pettiest Laker Fan 🤫 (@ThePettiestLA) February 14, 2023
Lakers after trading Russ pic.twitter.com/cqqXv50nWM
— ClipShowYo (@CIipShowYo) February 14, 2023
Damian Lillard has 30 points at halftime, tied for the most in his regular-season career in a 1st half.
Lillard made 8 threes in the 1st half, tying his own franchise record for threes in a half.
Lillard scored 24 of Portland's 31 points in the 2nd quarter. pic.twitter.com/y9GufORHxW
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) February 14, 2023
36-37 footer to perfection 😮💨 good shot @Dame_Lillard https://t.co/g0VCLyekKX
— Ballsack Sports (@BallsackSports) February 14, 2023
The fear is warranted, as the Lakers have been barely staying in the playoff race this season anyway. They are objectively a better roster now but it doesn’t look like they can be good enough to go 16-10 in their final stretch of games to at least finish the season with a .500 record and hopefully, a play-in spot.
What Are The Lakers Playoff Chances Looking Like?
There’s no question that the Lakers could be the scariest 8th seed possible in the West right now by virtue of playoff LeBron James. However, the Lakers need to climb over the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder to just qualify for the play-in and then have to win their way into the playoffs, possibly having to play up from the 9-10 spot.
If LeBron James comes back and can make the squad find cohesion going 16-10 could be likely. But the rotational inconsistencies, Anthony Davis not looking as good as he did earlier in the season, and having to fight their way from 6 games under .500 make their realistic chances look quite bleak.
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