The Los Angeles Lakers are playing their best basketball in months as the NBA calendar enters the final week of the regular season. And, after a 116-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Saturday (6/4) United States time, the Lakers moved up to eighth place in the Western Conference.
D’Angelo Russell scored 28 points, LeBron James added 24 and the Lakers extended their winning streak to four. Anthony Davis added 22 points and 13 rebounds in the Lakers’ ninth win (45-33) in 10 games. James improved to 18-4 against his former team, where he played for 11 seasons in two different stints. He had a pair of alley-oop dunks against the team he led to its only NBA title in 2016.
“We are very confident in our teamwork,” said Anthony Davis, who added 6 blocks, and 3 steals against the Cavs. “We’re laughing, like, ‘Oh, winning nine out of 10,’ and we haven’t gone anywhere (in the standings). So, that’s how good the Western Conference is. But we’re confident, very confident and anytime we step on the floor.”
Darius Garland scored 26 points for Cleveland and Caris LeVert had 21 points off the bench. The Cavaliers (46-32) remain third in the East but have dropped twice in a row and three of their last four games. Garland, who tied a career-high with five steals, hit a pair of 3-pointers as the Cavaliers started the second half on an 11-2 run to pull within 67-67.
Indeed, the Western Conference is extremely competitive with only two games separating the No. 1 Phoenix Suns. 6 to No. 6 Sacramento Kings 9 .
If the Lakers maintain their No. 8 rather than returning to the No. 9 where they usually come in at No. 8 since the end of January, then the difference in their postseason paths would be enormous. Participate in the No. 1 play-in tournament game 7-8 guarantees the team two chances to earn a playoff berth this season.
Los Angeles’ remaining schedule is a home game against the No. 1 team. 1 West, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on Sunday and the No. 1 Golden State Warriors 10 on Tuesday, and then face the No. 1 Memphis Grizzlies. 13 on Friday, and the No. 1 team 7 New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.