Lakers coach JJ Redick did not mince words about the path ahead for his group. In a chat with the media ahead of Saturday’s game, he was brutally honest as he spoke about the upcoming six-game stretch that could make or break their season.
“You work all season to put yourself in a spot, with 16 games to go, to try and make the playoffs. That’s where we’re at, and that’s what we’re gonna try to do,” said Redick. “There are a lot of teams that are bunched up with us, and we have a ridiculously hard six-game stretch here, starting tonight. We’ve got to be great.”
Redick and his staff have been working around the clock to maximize chemistry and cohesion on this Lakers team. It hasn’t always been a smooth process, but recent success has them tied for third in the standings, on par with the Houston Rockets at 41-25. That’s why what happens over these next few weeks could very well determine their fate for the entire 205-26 campaign.
Unfortunately, the schedule doesn’t lighten up for Los Angeles. As Redick outlined, things only get harder from here, starting with tonight’s showdown against the Nuggets. They will be underdogs against Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Jamal Murray, a combo that has beaten them multiple times in the playoffs.
After that, the Lakers face Houston for a two-game set against Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. The Rockets are stacked, and they’ve presented a major challenge to the Lakers this season. Being at home, the Rockets will have the advantage in these high-stakes games, and the Lakers must win both if they want to secure the third seed for themselves.
The Lakers then play the Miami Heat, who have climbed to sixth in the standings after seven straight wins. They are one of the NBA’s hottest teams right now, led by Bam Adebayo, who recently went off for 83 points.
They’ll then travel to Orlando for a game against the Magic on March 21st. While the Magic have been underachieving this season, they still have the talent to give the Lakers serious problems. If Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane can get it going and be aggressive early, it’ll be tough for the Lakers to keep up.
Finally, the Lakers end this stretch with a game against the Pistons on March 23rd. Detroit is the number one team in the East right now, and the Lakers won’t easily keep up with the combined efforts of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and Duncan Robinson.
Ultimately, how the Lakers come out of this stretch may decide where they finish in the standings. If they can go at least 6-2 or better, it could be enough for them to stay within the top four in the West. If not, then they might be better off shutting down their stars and holding out until next season.
