LOS ANGELES — The Lakers‘ 116-111 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday introduced their file to .500 for the primary time all season, needing 74 video games to get even after a 2-10 begin.
“Now it is time, as a substitute of continually going through a deficit, we get to attempt to create a surplus, create a cushion between the wins and losses,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham mentioned. “So the fellows are enthusiastic about that.”
At 37-37, the Lakers reached .500 for the primary time as a franchise in additional than 400 days, courting again to Jan. 25, 2022, when the crew was 24-24.
The final NBA crew to achieve .500 for the primary time this late in a season was the 2003-04 Miami Heat, which took 78 video games to get there, in line with ESPN Stats & Data. The 1988-89 Washington Bullets additionally took 74 video games and the 1983-84 Phoenix Suns did not get to .500 till Sport No. 82.
“Massive accomplishment however we’re nonetheless not completed,” mentioned Dennis Schroder, who began rather than D’Angelo Russell (sore proper hip) and completed with 21 factors and 6 assists.
Lakers guard Lonnie Walker IV scored 20 factors off the bench after solely enjoying 12 minutes in L.A.’s previous seven video games, together with 5 DNPs.
“He is the man who received us the sport, it is that straightforward,” Schroder mentioned of Walker. “All people thanked him for that tonight. That is his win.”
The win was L.A.’s third in a row and gave the Lakers the identical file because the Western Convention’s No. 7-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. L.A. is No. 8, nevertheless, as a result of the Wolves personal the tiebreaker by main the season collection 2-0 with just one extra matchup remaining.
“We acquired to .500, now it is time to get on the opposite facet and might have extra wins than losses,” mentioned Anthony Davis, who led L.A. with 37 factors and 15 rebounds. “So it begins Sunday. We acquired a chance to be a sport above .500 towards Bulls crew.”
Internet hosting Chicago would be the final of L.A.’s present five-game homestand earlier than occurring the highway for a four-game journey via Chicago, Minnesota, Houston and Utah.
“We simply should strategy these upcoming video games, these final eight, like we have been doing for the reason that deadline: Every sport is its personal entity,” Ham mentioned. “We will not fear about going 6-2 or 7-1 or 5-3. We simply should strategy every sport and dive and pour all of ourselves into every explicit sport. So we’ll proceed to hold on as such.”
