The Lakers see the qualifying playoffs for the playoffs getting further and further away, after their sixth straight defeat conceded against Denver on Sunday in the NBA. Los Angeles has long stood up to the Nuggets (129-118) before being devoured in money-time.
The absence of LeBron James, forced to rest his sore left ankle for the fourth time in six games, proved detrimental. He scored 38 points in the loss to New Orleans on Friday…
For his second game in a row, after a month and a half without playing, Anthony Davis was nevertheless successful (28 pts, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 blocks). And Russell Westbrook, often criticized for his bad choices this season, played fair and well (27 pts, 11/15 on shots, 10 rebounds). But opposite, there was a certain Nikola Jokic. The reigning MVP, certainly sinning with too many stray bullets (7) was the executioner of the Californians (38 pts, 18 rebounds, 6 assists).
If the Nuggets consolidate their 5th place in the West, the Lakers remain stuck in 11th, still ahead of San Antonio (10th), who beat Portland (113-92). The Spurs are two wins up, with four games remaining for each team by the end of the regular season.
The calculating machine is out, but Californian coach Frank Vogel assures that he is not “concerned about math”. “I worry about the next game, he breathes. I draw lessons from this defeat for the next meeting, hoping to obtain a victory against Phoenix. »
A setback on Tuesday against the Suns, leaders of the championship despite a surprise defeat in Oklahoma City (117-96), could well mathematically mark the elimination of the 2020 champion from the race for the playoffs and sound the end of a nightmare season.
Earlier, the other poster of the day saw the Mavericks (4th in the West) impose on the defending champions Bucks (118-112), thanks to a new performance of size from Luka Doncic, very fit in recent weeks. .