Sports
With no LeBron James or Anthony Davis, Lakers’ playoff hopes in turmoil
Needing wins in essentially the most determined approach, combating an uphill schedule and a ticking clock, usually Frank Vogel would’ve discovered consolation within the recipe he and the Lakers had employed.
Twice, in a few of their finest basketball of the season, the Lakers have used considered one of basketball’s finest weapons — LeBron James — to play Utah middle Rudy Gobert off the court docket.
However with a closely oiled grip on tenth place within the West, Vogel felt none of that consolation earlier than Thursday’s sport with the Jazz, James not even in the identical state because the Lakers as he labored to recuperate from his sprained ankle.
As a substitute, right here they have been once more, Vogel utilizing his Thirty seventh-different beginning lineup on the season in an effort to search out one thing that would assist overcome the group’s harm points.
The Jazz beat the most recent grouping of Lakers 122-109, Vogel pressured to make use of Trevor Ariza with Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk and Stanley Johnson with the group’s two finest gamers unavailable.
It’s the group’s fourth-straight loss and the seventh-time the Lakers have been on a shedding streak since they final received consecutive video games in early January.
The Lakers, although, predict to have Anthony Davis return for the primary time since Feb. 16 on Friday once they host the Pelicans in a vital sport for the group’s slim postseason hopes, in accordance with supply. Davis has missed the final 18 video games, the Lakers shedding 13 previous to the sport with the Jazz.
James, who suffered a sprained ankle within the Lakers’ loss at New Orleans on Sunday, might additionally return Friday.
“I don’t really feel like we’ve caught ourselves but,” Vogel stated pregame of the Lakers’ psyche. “That was an enormous blow, having Bron go down.”
Whereas Vogel declined to offer an replace definitively on both’s standing, he stated his two stars are “progressing properly.”
Davis’ workload over the previous week has elevated, Vogel stated, placing him in place to probably return in opposition to the Pelicans.
“He’s been working extraordinarily exhausting and he desires to get again as rapidly as attainable. That’s the power that we’ve felt from Anthony when it comes to as soon as getting cleared and passing sure hurdles,” Vogel stated earlier than Thursday‘s sport. “After which, clearly, ramping up his work, letting the elevated workload recuperate and see the way it responds. And he’s proven a fantastic urgency to attempt to get again on the ground. So hopefully we get him again quickly.”
The wait, barring any unexpected setback, received’t be lengthy.
Within the meantime, the Lakers had an opportunity to steal a sport in opposition to the ice-cold Jazz, who entered the sport having misplaced their earlier 5 video games, all approaching the street.
With wing Bojan Bogdanovic again within the beginning lineup, the Jazz opened the sport hitting six straight photographs, the Lakers’ damaged protection nonetheless not repaired after a brutal movie session following their loss to Dallas.
“I must see extra tenacity defensively,” Vogel stated pregame.
Execution and talent, although, have been one other, the Lakers unable to persistently defend with too many inconsistent defenders on the ground at seemingly all occasions.
The Lakers pushed the Jazz at a number of factors all through the sport, Howard and Westbrook carrying the offense, earlier than Utah pulled away within the fourth.
Westbrook scored 24, Howard had 21 and Monk scored 14. Donovan Mitchell led 5 totally different Jazz gamers in double figures with 29.
This all units the stage for Friday to be, maybe, crucial sport of this season.
With simply six video games left, the Lakers now path the Spurs by a half sport, with San Antonio internet hosting one of many NBA’s worst groups post-All-Star Recreation, Portland, for the primary of two video games with the Path Blazers.
The Lakers are 11-9 when James, Davis and Westbrook all play, that means the Lakers have an opportunity.
However consolation? Vogel and this group misplaced that a very long time in the past.