Written by Don | 12 April 2011

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Well, damn... I guess at least LA still have their future in their own collective hands.  It's hard to believe that less than a fortnight ago, the discussion was "can the Lakers catch San Antonio" and get the best record in the NBA?
What a difference
Mere game/games left to go, depending on what NBA team you are.  Houston could've helped out with a defeat of Dallas, but they stumbled in OT, and now Dallas is half a game in front of LA, stealing the 2 seed.  Likewise, Sacramento could have helped out with a defeat of OKC on the next-to-last game ever at Arco.  OKC are now half a game back from LA.

The battle for 2-4 in the West is on, and it looks like this:

• Dallas are at #2, and have a solitary game left against a Westless New Orleans.  It is likely they'll take that (sending a now hapless Hornets to 8th place) and finish at 57-25. 
• The Lakers are currently #3... and have two to play.  They'll face San Antonio in Staples, and travel to Sacramento to play the Kings in the last ever game at Arco Arena.  They win both, they finish at 57-25.
• Oklahoma City are #4, and have one more game: playing host to Milwaukee.  They win, they're 56-26.

It could get messy for LA.  But I think they are going to have a bit of luck roll their way... firstly, if they finished tied with either team, it's all good: they hold the tie-breaker on both.  Add to that, given SA are locked in at 1st, it wouldn't surprise me to see them rest at least some of their key guys in the game on Tuesday.  

Sacramento... the Lakers should have more than their measure.  But there've been more than a few teams recently that LA should've beaten, and haven't.  And the stakes are high.
- Finish 2nd, LA will most likely play Memphis (seeds 6-8 are still in a similar state of flux to 2-4), who whilst presenting a challenge, that challenge won't quite be of the same magnitude as that of Portland or Denver.
- Finish 3rd, and it's Portland... who are still the preferred option over Denver.
- Finish 4th (and if LA loses both games, this is likely) then it's Denver, who would be perhaps the toughest first round opponent LA have faced in the past 3 years (although they're now not without their issues, having Nene now day-to-day with a groin strain, and Afflalo still having hamstring issues).

So win both, 2nd.  Lose 1: 3rd (assuming the Mavs beat NOLA).  Lose both?  Ugh... probably 4th.

Kobe even said through the win-streak that he didn't care where LA finished.  That he believed that whoever/wherever LA faced, they'd win through (funnily enough, Boston appears to have a similar self-belief).  Coasting lead to a loss, then two... then blinked and it's five.

Time to start the playoff run tho'.  Time to win.  It's all going to depend how vital the Lakers see the games.  And maybe it's arrogance, but I kinda do agree with Bryant: if the Lakers are on, who the opponent is, or what court it's played on is irrelevant.
But that's heavily dependant on which Lakers team of the past ten days shows up.
In a few short days, we'll know.