Faced with a must-win scenario, the Lakers suffered an epic collapse in the second half that gave away the game to their competition.
It’s a scene that has played out all too many times for the Lakeshow lately, but it doesn’t mean it takes any of the pain away.
Speaking to the media after the final buzzer, a dejected Frank Vogel spoke candidly on the current mindset of him and his team.
“It’s not good. It hurts, this game hurts. It’s a big game. But we have to regroup and find a way to beat Dallas and get some wins down the stretch here. Time’s running out on us and we came out with the proper urgency for this game but weren’t able to close it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzfIarWovZ8
Indeed, it was a big game for the Lakers. As they hover over the final play-in spots, a win tonight would have given them an extra cushion heading into this final week of play.
Now, they’re at a real risk of missing out on the playoffs entirely if they lose their upcoming games.
LeBron James, who is set to finish with his worst regular-season record ever, is trying his best to stay positive.
“I’m literally having the time of my life right now,” James said last week. “The game’s such a beautiful thing. Because I couldn’t care less what the narrative about our team is,” James said. “At my point in my career, I don’t get involved in that stuff. I don’t read about it, I don’t hear it too much. … None of that stuff matters to me, I’m having a blast playing the game of basketball.”
The Lakers will face Dallas on Tuesday before heading to Utah for a game against the 4th-seeded Jazz.
With just 1 game separating the Lakers from the Spurs (who are 11th in the West), there’s isn’t much room for error going forward. If the team wants to give themselves a chance, they’re going to have to figure things out fast.
As Vogel already stated, time is running out.
