The hottest conspiracy theory in the NBA is that Lakers rivals in the Western Conference are trying to help Portland become the eighth seed in the playoffs.
The Trail Blazers have been one of the more impressive teams in the bubble, with victories over Houston and Denver, and they nearly beat Boston, which is third in the East and has won 46 games.
So when Clippers coach Doc Rivers rested Kawhi Leonard on Saturday against the Trail Blazers, and then pulled his other star, Paul George, out of the game with three minutes left and the Clippers by three pulls, eyebrows raised. Was this an attempt to throw the game to improve the chances the Lakers would have to face this tough team in the first round?
Rivers said George was just within a minute’s limit and had reached his limit.
Then the coach was asked if he thought the Trail Blazers could defeat the Lakers.
“I’m not getting involved,” said Rivers, whose team did not defeat Portland despite the end of the stars. ‘I honestly do not see it. I heard our boys talking there, I’m like, ‘Listen, that’s their business. Our company is with whom we play. ‘We have to concentrate on that. ”
The Lakers also refused to participate in the conversation after their 116-111 loss to Indiana. LeBron James, who scored 31 points against the Pacers, said it was none of his business.
Coach Frank Vogel was asked about the Clippers’ decisions with their stars and how it could affect his team.
“I have no problem with that,” Vogel said. “Everyone has to manage their team in their own way.”
More on his mind is the management of his Lakers team, which has lost its third game in a row since claiming the West’s top seed and dropped to 2-4 in the bubble.
Vogel has yet to play his expected playoff rotation and on Saturday night he gave important minutes to reserves Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook and Languages Horton-Tucker. Cook was the Lakers’ second leading score with 21 points. Dwight Howard offered a late boost with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Anthony Davis often saw double teams and made just three of 14 shots, scoring eight points.
“I obviously need to be better,” Davis said. ‘I was looking good last night. Just lost. Some shots around the edge – lineups I missed. Three open – missed. Midrange shot open. Shots just did not go in. ”
Pac Warren ahead TJ Warren scored 39 points, continuing with a standout display in the bubble.
Vogel expects to continue experimenting with his lineups during the next two seeding games. He will wait until the break before the start of the playoffs to work on those rotations. By that time, he will also be closer to knowing which team the Lakers will serve in the first round.
The Clippers’ win Saturday beat Portland a game and a half back from eight-seeded Memphis Grizzlies, and the Trail Blazers are just half a game ahead of Phoenix in the 10th seed, which is 5-0 in the bubble is.
Once the seeding games end, the eighth and ninth teams in the West will participate in a play-in game.
If the eighth seed wins, it goes on to the playoffs. If the ninth seed wins, the teams play an elimination game.
And while the Lakers are paying attention to that race, on Saturday night they found reasons to feel optimistic about themselves.
“We wanted to get better today; I feel like we did, ‘said James. “… We played Lakers basketball last night and winning, losing or drawing, if we do that, we will give ourselves a chance to be very successful in the winning column.”
Three observations about the Lakers:
– LeBron James becomes more comfortable with the smell of playing in the bubble. He said after the game that the last time he could not remember playing a real game in an empty gym – it did not even happen in high school.
Languages Horton-Tucker has earned more minutes in the rotation with his game. After scoring 10 points against Houston on Thursday, the 19-year-old rookie scored 10 against Indiana.
– After shooting 10.5%, 13.5% and 25% of three-point range in three of their first bubble games, the Lakers shot better on Saturday. That was thanks in part to the performance of Quinn Cook, who made five of nine tries and was her second leading score.
