The LA Lakers probabilities of securing a prime two Western Convention playoff spot took one other hit with a loss at Orlando.
The Los Angeles Lakers suffered one other setback of their NBA playoff push, falling 118-106 to the Orlando Magic, who notched their first house victory since February.
Regardless of 32 factors from Luka Doncic and 24 from LeBron James, the Lakers dropped their third straight recreation on Monday and at 43-28 at the moment are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies within the battle for fourth place within the Western Convention.
Franz Wagner scored 32 factors and Paolo Banchero added 30 for the Magic, who out-scored the Lakers 34-18 within the third quarter to grab management of the competition.
The defeat follows the Lakers’ blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls in James’s first recreation again after lacking seven video games with a groin damage.
The Lakers had hoped James, Doncic and a newly wholesome Rui Hachimura would gas a powerful stretch run within the West. The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder is assured of the highest seed, however the Denver Nuggets, Lakers and Grizzlies are all inside two and a half video games of the second positioned Houston Rockets.
However Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned his gamers are missing the defensive depth they displayed in an eight-game successful streak that had briefly pushed them to second within the standings.
“We will get again there,” Redick mentioned, including that the injury-enforced lineup modifications could have taken a toll.
“We glance drained,” he mentioned. “I don’t know what contributes to that … we weren’t capable of maintain our degree of depth that we began the sport out with.”
The Lakers did reduce a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to seven with 5:39 remaining, however the Magic – eighth within the Japanese Convention – swiftly pulled away once more.
Redick mentioned the Lakers also can use some observe time to get lately returned participant reintegrated.
“We’ve obtained to get again into the move and the rhythm,” he mentioned. “It’s not simply (the returning gamers) getting again into the move, nevertheless it’s the group and the way the group features.”
