The opinion of the Los Angeles Lakers has changed over the course of the season. 2:34
The Lakers were competitive in their loss to the 76ers, but the stakes were raised for their next game on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.
With nine games left to play, L.A. is ninth in the Western Conference, and the Pelicans are just a half-game behind in 10th.
The Lakers lead could be strengthened by Sunday's game, which could help their path to hosting the Pelicans in the play-in game. Or, it could make the Lakers the team that's playing from behind, desperately trying to cling onto the final play-in spot just to be rewarded with going on the road to play it.
It will be a playoff-type atmosphere for us because it is a must-win for our group, said Russell Westbrook, who had 24 points, nine rebound, eight assists and seven turnovers.
James will have six days of rest before the New Orleans game after he was held out Wednesday because of a sore left knee.
L.A. will try to keep up the modicum of momentum it has been able to generate, going 2-2 over its past four games. In the four games the Lakers have played, they have given out 25 assists or more.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel said that they are making progress. We are continuing to grow. We are disappointed we lost the game. Without Anthony Davis, the group that played tonight showed everyone that we still have a lot of fight left in us.
The last time the Lakers played New Orleans, they were defeated by 28. It was part of L.A.'s post All-Star break slump, when it went 2-9, with four of those losses coming by 20 points or more.
The Lakers are keeping their heads up despite the fact that they are on a slight upswing, having beaten Toronto and Cleveland on the road and playing Washington and Philadelphia down to the wire.
"I'm never going to give up," said Howard, whose 24 points on Wednesday marked the most he has scored in a game since November. We are going to do everything we can to make it. It has not been the season that we wanted. It took us a long time to jell, but there is nothing we can do now.
If L.A. loses to New Orleans, it will be out of the play-in tournament. The Lakers are just two games up on the Spurs after San Antonio beat Portland on Wednesday. There are two more games left on the Spurs' schedule.
It will be an extended play-in to get to the real play-in tournament for this Lakers team.
"Hopefully our group's collective playoff experience will pay off for us", said Vogel.
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