Currently sitting in fourth place, the Lakers are on thin ice. If they lose to the Thunder and the Denver Nuggets secure a win, the Lakers will fall back into fourth. Additionally, should the Golden State Warriors emerge victorious against the Houston Rockets, a tie in records could ensue. Although the Lakers hold a tiebreaker advantage over the Warriors, another loss would push them further down to fifth place, creating a congested race with the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
