Mark J. Terrill/Associated PressWith six days left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers are two games out of a spot in the Western Conference play-in round.
The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday without James, who rested his injured ankle.
The team dropped two games back of the San Antonio Spurs for the 10th seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers enter the final week of the regular season as the only team on the outside of the play-in spots still alive.
San Antonio gained a game on New Orleans in the fight for the ninth seed. The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans by double figures.
In the next six days, the teams in the West and the East will play for a spot in the play-in round.
The NBA Standings have been updated.
The conference is called the Western Conference.
1. The city of Phoenix has a 62-16 record.
2. The city of Memphis has a 55-23 record.
3. The Golden State has a score of 50.
4. Dallas scored 49 points.
5. Denver has a 47-32 record.
6. Utah had a 46-32 record.
There are play-in positions.
7. The state of Minnesota has a 45-34 record.
There are 8. The Los Angeles Clippers lost.
There are 9. New Orleans lost.
10. San Antonio has a 33-45 record.
11. The Los Angeles Lakers lost.
The Lakers fell two games back of the Spurs without James on the floor.
Los Angeles has four games left to make up the two-game gap on San Antonio and gain an edge in the win column.
San Antonio could get the 10 seed as soon as Thursday, but that may be difficult for the team.
The Spurs have three road games remaining in their final four contests, just like the Lakers, and they have to face Denver, Minnesota and Dallas on their travels, all of whom are fighting for playoff seeding.
The Suns have the top seed in the West locked up, so Los Angeles could get a break on Tuesday.
The Phoenix Suns could rest some of their players for a half or the entire game like they did on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
Over the next six days, the Lakers have to visit Golden State and Denver. They have a home game against Oklahoma City on Friday.
Los Angeles needs to go on a four-game winning streak and hope for the Spurs to go 1-3 to avoid losing out on the 10th seed.
The rest of the Western Conference play-in math is easy to understand. New Orleans needs to beat San Antonio in order to get the ninth seed.
New Orleans faces two other teams in its next two games, and it may benefit from Memphis already owning the No. 2 seed on Saturday.
The Clippers won over the Pelicans on Sunday to get into the 8 seed. They are scheduled to play the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Utah Jazz are 1.5 games back of Minnesota for the No. 6 seed. Utah is 1-6 in its last seven games, so there is a small chance it drops below the top six.
Utah has an easier final week with Oklahoma City, Portland as well as Memphis and Phoenix, both of whom could rest players throughout the week.
Predicting: 7. Minnesota, 8. The LA Clippers are playing. New Orleans is 10. San Antonio.
The conference is called the Eastern Conference.
1. Miami scored (51-28)
2. Boston scored 49 points.
3. The city of Milwaukee has a 48-30 record.
4. Philadelphia finished with a 48-30 win.
5. Chicago scored 45 points.
6. Toronto scored 45-33.
There are play-in positions.
7. The city of Cleveland has a 43-36) record.
There are 8. Atlanta scored 41 points.
There are 9. Charlotte scored 40 points.
10. Brooklyn had a score of 40-38.
The four Eastern Conference play-in teams are likely to be Cleveland, Atlanta, Charlotte and Brooklyn.
That became clear after the Philadelphia game.
Cleveland has four games left on its schedule and is 2.5 games back of the No. 6 seed.
Over the next six days, Atlanta should be the focus for the No. 7 seed as they hold a 1.5 game edge.
The Cleveland can move closer to the No. 7 seed if they beat the Magic on Tuesday. The Cavs have three days off before Brooklyn.
Atlanta moved into the 8 position in the East after beating Brooklyn on Saturday. The Hawks face Toronto and Miami in their last two games.
The Hawks should go 2-2 in those four games, but they would have to go 4-2 in that stretch to leapfrog Cleveland.
Both Charlotte and Brooklyn have identical 40-38 records in the battle to host the No. 9. There were 10 games. Both teams are one game back of Atlanta.
The two teams have an easier schedule in Brooklyn. The Nets have Houston, New York, Cleveland and Indiana left.
If the Nets sweep the final week, they could be in a position to pick off the Hawks for the No. 8 seed.
Charlotte visits Miami and Chicago. The Nets have a favorable schedule so a 2-2 split is not good for the Hornets.
Since both teams are fighting for seeding in the top six, it may be difficult for the Hornets to win on the road.
Predicting: 7. Cleveland, 8. Atlanta, 9. Brooklyn, 10. Charlotte.
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