The Lakers Beat Utah, Clinch a Top 10 Spot, but Will Davis and LeBron Play vs. the Clippers?

The game that got them there was, no doubt, inelegant. The Lakers beat the Jazz in OT, but blew a 14 point lead in the third quarter, and a 10 point lead with under two minutes to play in the process. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis had to work a whole lot harder than was ideal, and while LeBron came up big in the OT, neither star for the Lakers was great down the stretch in regulation. (The Jazz, it should be noted, clearly made a point of having someone who wasn't Davis beat them in the second half.) But regardless, the Lakers clinched a spot in the play-in. At worst, they're in the top 10, and obviously still have a ton left to play for over their final three games. That starts tonight, with a critical game against the Clippers. Both teams are 41-38. The winner moves into the top 6, and gains the opportunity to avoid all that play-in tension completely. And now, there are big questions about who will be available for the Lakers in this game, thanks to the effort that was put in on Tuesday. Now maybe Anthony Davis was going to sit. Maybe LeBron, too. (And that doesn't even get into D'Angelo Russell, who didn't suit up against the Jazz.) But the extra time and energy on the floor against the Jazz certainly didn't help. The Clippers are vulnerable, and it's a shame the Lakers didn't maximize their opportunity to win Wednesday by taking care of business more definitively on Tuesday. But the only thing that would have been worse than that would have been losing on Tuesday, too. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers have clinched a spot in the top 10. That's a big step in what has been a huge turnaround since the trade deadline. SEGMENT 2: The game that actually got them there wasn't exactly inspiring. SEGMENT 3: Is Wednesday's game so important that it should prompt some changes in medical protocols around LeBron and A.D.? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! ebay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.  BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at Betterhelp.com/LockedOnNBA and get on your way to being your best self. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. Ultimate Pro Basketball GM To download the game just visit probasketballgm.com or look it up on the app stores. Our listeners get a 100% free boost to their franchise when using the promo LOCKEDON (ALL CAPS) in the game store. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices