The Los Angeles Lakers got back on the winning track in a truly remarkable manner on Wednesday, Mar. 26. With the team back at full strength but still struggling to reintegrate key players, Luka Doncic put the team on his back and LeBron James saved his best for last.
The result was a remarkable 120-119 victory over the 42-30 Indiana Pacers, which had won each of its past five games prior to the clash with Los Angeles.
For as incredible as the result was, the Lakers have no time to rest or celebrate. They're heading right back out on Mar. 27 for the second leg of yet another back-to-back, this time against a Chicago Bulls team that seemingly has their number.
Revenge will be on the Lakers' minds, but the bigger picture is that Los Angeles can't afford to lose either of its next two games.
The Lakers will travel to face Chicago on Thursday and the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. Both games will go a long way toward determining where Los Angeles finishes in the playoff picture, as well as if they can clinch a minimum of a spot in the Play-In Tournament—a feat from which they're just one win away.
Without hyperbole, the next two games will be the two most important outings of the Lakers' entire 2024-25 regular season thus far.
Lakers embarking on must-win games at Chicago, Memphis
Los Angeles enters this crucial period at 44-28, benefiting from a tiebreak advantage to reside as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Memphis is an identical 44-28, which makes the upcoming encounter between the two sides nothing short of essential.
A win for either team could create the necessary distance to secure home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Lakers hold the tiebreak advantage over the Grizzlies at 2-1, which makes a win on Saturday a potentially monumental event. Securing that victory would enable Los Angeles to not only put at least one game of distance between the two sides, but solidify the tiebreak advantage.
With just eight games to be played after the Grizzlies clash, that edge could prove invaluable as the Lakers pursue a rise back up the standings.
As for Chicago, the rematch could go a long way toward impacting team morale. The Bulls destroyed the Lakers during Rui Hachimura and LeBron James' first game back, pulling away for a 146-115 victory that had to be seen to be believed.
Chicago enters the rematch with Los Angeles at 8-2 over its past 10 games, suggesting its success could be sustained and built upon.
A win over the Bulls would give the Lakers a significant boost in confidence. It would also enable it to enter the vital clash with the Grizzlies with positive momentum, thus preparing it for a season-altering encounter with significant ramifications.
It may sound hyperbolic, but the next two games will be the most important that the Lakers have played all season.
