The Los Angeles Lakers have dropped back to the ninth position in the Western Conference standings for the NBA playoffs following their defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a strong run in the 2023-24 season lately, with impressive performances including a 5-1 away trip followed by four consecutive wins. However, their winning streak was halted when they faced the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the Lakers are striving to escape the Play-In Tournament, Minnesota is aiming for the top seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers faced challenges as key players LeBron James and Anthony Davis were unavailable due to illness and injury respectively during the game against Minnesota. This setback resulted in a significant loss for Los Angeles, dropping them to the ninth seed in the competitive Western Conference.

Their position was briefly tied with the Sacramento Kings for the eighth seed before the Kings secured a victory over the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the day. Sacramento holds the tiebreaker advantage over the Lakers, meaning the Lakers will likely need to win all remaining games to have a chance of overtaking the Kings.

Looking ahead, the Golden State Warriors have an opportunity to narrow the gap with the Lakers in their upcoming match. The Lakers currently hold a 1.5 game lead over the Warriors, making their final encounter crucial for both teams.

Following their game against the Warriors, the Lakers will play their last two regular-season games on the road. Their match against the Memphis Grizzlies may not carry much significance for Memphis, but their final game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday could greatly affect playoff standings, as the Pelicans could potentially move up to the sixth seed and avoid the Play-In Tournament entirely.

With only three games left, the Lakers cannot afford any missteps, so the return of James and Davis to the lineup is eagerly anticipated, ideally by Tuesday.

Here’s an update on the current standings of the teams in contention:

5. Mavericks (48-30) Upcoming schedule: @ Hornets (April 9), @ Heat (April 10), vs. Pistons (April 12), @ Thunder (April 14)
6. Suns (46-32) Upcoming schedule: vs. Clippers (April 9), @ Clippers (April 10), @ Kings (April 12), @ Timberwolves (April 14)
7. Pelicans (46-32) Upcoming schedule: @ Trail Blazers (April 9), @ Kings (April 11), @ Warriors (April 12), vs. Lakers (April 14)
8. Kings (45-33) Upcoming schedule: @ Thunder (April 9), vs. Pelicans (April 11), vs. Suns (April 12), vs. Trail Blazers (April 14)
9. Lakers (45-33) Upcoming schedule: vs. Warriors (April 9), @ Grizzlies (April 12), @ Pelicans (April 14)
10. Warriors (42-35) Upcoming schedule: @ Lakers (April 9), @ Trail Blazers (April 11), vs. Pelicans (April 12), vs. Jazz (April 14)

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