Another day, another defeat as the Lakers fall to 2-4 inside the Disney bubble. The Western Conference No. 1 seed may have their playoff position locked, but if they continue to play this way, their postseason tenure won’t be long. The Indiana Pacers beat them 116-111 thanks to another blast from TJ Warren. He finished the game with 39, bringing his Orlando average to 38.4 points in five games.
It may have been the brightest star on the floor, but it wasn’t the only one. LeBron James made his best performance on the bubble with 31 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but his co-star didn’t deliver on his end of the deal. Anthony Davis scored just eight points from 3-for-14 shots, and despite Quinn Cook’s five 3-points and a fine performance from rookie Talen Horton-Tucker, the Lakers failed to secure victory.
Their suit may be established, but the Lakers now have only two games to get back on track before the first-round series begins. Indiana still have three to play, two of which will come up against the team they follow directly in the standings, the Miami Heat. They can go all the way up to number 4 and up to number 6, but if Warren keeps shooting like this, they’ll be a threat to whoever they draw.
