At 40-36, Los Angeles is a half-game ahead of the Utah Jazz, who sit 40-37 with five games to play. The best Los Angeles can do is 46-36, while Utah's best will only result in a 45-37 finish.
The Dallas Mavericks are three games off the pace at 37-39. Any combination of three losses or three Lakers' wins would mean the end of the season for the Mavs, so they're in a dire situation.
Los Angeles has games left against some stiff competition, and while they do control their destiny, Utah has a great chance of taking the final spot as well, as they own the tiebreaker over L.A.
With the pressure on, let's take a look at what the Lakers can expect the rest of the way, and what they'll have to do to win each game.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
