The Los Angeles Lakers have drastically increased the tension in the final stretch of the NBA and can climb to a direct playoff spot for the first time this season with a win in the upcoming city duel.
In the fourth to last game of the main round in the best basketball league in the world, the team around superstar LeBron James and national team captain Dennis Schröder scored a 135:133 at the Utah Jazz after extra time.
Both teams go into the duel with the Clippers on Thursday night with a record of 41 wins and 38 losses. The Clippers are sixth and the Lakers seventh. Defending champions Golden State Warriors climbed to fifth with a 136-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the hard-fought Western Conference with 42 wins and 38 losses.
The Lakers could have saved themselves the five extra minutes of extra time. The team gave up a double-digit lead twice in the second half, with James missing a shot from close range as the clock ran out. The 38-year-old was the best thrower of the game with 37 points. Austin Reaves had 28 points, Schröder contributed 18 points and was on the floor for a total of 42 minutes before returning from Utah to Los Angeles.
Phoenix Suns advance to playoffs
The success was the Lakers’ fourth win in a row, only the Phoenix Suns have an even better streak in the NBA at the moment. The team around superstar Kevin Durant got a 115:94 against the San Antonio Spurs and thus made the entry into the playoffs perfect.
In the Eastern Conference, the Milwaukee Bucks recorded a 140-128 and consolidated their first place ahead of the Boston Celtics. Another win in the remaining three games ensures the team around star player Giannis Antetokounmpo home advantage in all playoff games up to the conference finals.
The Celtics, on the other hand, lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 101:103. Joel Embiid topped the game with 52 points and gave Philadelphia the chance to overtake the Celtics and move into second place before the end of the main round on Sunday.
