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The LA Lakers fell two games behind the .500 mark following their 112-108 loss against the New York Knicks on Sunday. The Lakers haven't hit the .500 mark since January 2022.
They had their best chance of achieving that against the Knicks, as it was a home game. They also had momentum, while New York came off three straight losses and played on the second night of a back-to-back.
However, D'Angelo Russell was the lone bright spot for LA. He scored 33 points, grabbed five boards and dished out eight assists, shooting 68.4%.
Star center Anthony Davis and the role players struggled offensively. The Lakers weren't as aggressive throughout the game. Their struggles came majorly from the free-throw line, as they were 10-of-17 from the stripe, which proved decisive in the grand scheme of things.
NBA fans brutally mocked the LA Lakers online following their loss. One fan wrote:
"Lakers getting spanked as usual"
More reactions followed:
Looking at the implications of the LA Lakers' loss against the New York Knicks
The LA Lakers' margin of error is slim in their bid to return to the playoffs. They were in the play-in tournament bracket before the game against the New York Knicks. The Lakers could've tied the seventh seed in the Western Conference if they had won the contest.
However, the Lakers have slipped to 11th from ninth. They remain tied for the ninth seed but don't have a tie-breaker advantage over the OKC Thunder and Utah Jazz, who won their most recent games to climb up in the standings.
The LA Lakers still have optimism surrounding their chances of finishing in the top six. Despite their loss against the Knicks, the Lakers are only two games behind the sixth-seeded Golden State Warriors.
LA has won eight of their last 12 and has the easiest schedule, as per Tankathon. The Lakers have stayed afloat in the absence of LeBron James, who could be back sooner than expected.
During the Lakers' loss against the Knicks, James appeared without a walking boot on his injured foot for the first time since being sidelined. James didn't limp while walking either, so these are encouraging signs.
However, the notion that he could be back soon is based on speculation. Reports suggest the four-time MVP will get re-evaluated in a week and a half. If everything goes according to plan, James could be back in the lineup roughly four to five games before the regular season ends.
