Getty Lakers star Russell Westbrook.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 27 is arguably the biggest contest of the season for the purple and gold. LAL is currently No. 9 in the Western Conference standings with nine games left to play and the Pelicans are just a half-game behind at No. 10.
It looks like the Lakers and Pelicans will face each other in the 9-10 play-in game. If the Lakers want to host that game at Crypto.com Arena, they have to be the ninth seed, which is why Russell Westbrook believes Sunday’s game is massive.
“It’s a game that we definitely wanna win and I think if we have our mindset in the right place and do what we’ve been doing, playing the right, proper basketball, I think we put ourself in position to be able to win the game,” Westbrook said after the Lakers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers on March 23. “It’s going to be a playoff-type of atmosphere for us because it’s definitely a must-win, I believe, for our group.”
The Lakers got blown out by the Pelicans on February 27 by a final score of 123-95. Westbrook and LeBron James combined for 14 turnovers in a game New Orleans dominated from start to finish.
LeBron didn’t play against the Sixers due to left knee pain, but he should be able to suit up versus the Pelicans since he’ll have almost a week to rest. Westbrook had 24 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and seven turnovers in LeBron’s absence versus the Sixers, the fourth game in a row he’s scored over 20 points.
Has Westbrook Turned a Corner?
Westbrook is averaging 22.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 9.3 assists while shooting 52.2% from the field, 47.6% from beyond the arc and 57.1% from the free-throw line over his last four games. The Lakers have defeated the Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers and lost to the Washington Wizards and Sixers during that stretch.
For the Lakers to defeat the Pelicans, Westbrook has to continue to play well, especially since Anthony Davis is still out with a right foot injury.
“We’re making progress,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said after the Sixers game. “We’re building habits that are going to win for us in the postseason and we’re continuing to grow. I think this game, we’re disappointed we lost, but without Bron, without AD, the group that played tonight showed everyone that we still have a whole lot of fight left in us.”
Westbrook’s honest take about the Pelicans contest inadvertently put added pressure on the Lakers, but it appears his teammates are ready for the enormous game.
Lakers May Be Ready for Critical Pelicans Game
The Lakers haven’t won two games in a row since January. However, Dwight Howard isn’t going to give up until the wheels off.
“I’m never going to give up,” Howard said after the Sixers game. “I don’t think any of us feels like the season is just over with. We’re going to do whatever we can to make it. It’s not been the season that we’ve all wanted. It took us a real long time to really jell, but there’s nothing we can do now but just stay positive, keep fighting.”
It will be fascinating to see how Westbrook and Co. play against the Pelicans. A loss to New Orleans would put Los Angeles closer to falling out of the play-in tournament altogether. The Lakers are just two games up on the San Antonio Spurs, who are in 11th place.