Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lakers at risk of falling back into play-in contention

By Matt Evans | Last updated Mar 17, 2025 12:13 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a precarious position as the NBA regular season nears its conclusion, with recent struggles threatening to push them back into the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Sitting at 41-25, the Lakers currently hold the fifth seed in the West, but a recent slump has left them vulnerable as teams below them close the gap.

Los Angeles has lost four of its last five games, including defeats to the Celtics, Nets, Bucks and Nuggets. Their lone victory in that stretch came against the Phoenix Suns, providing a much-needed boost amid an otherwise concerning run of form.

A major factor in the struggles has been the absence of LeBron James, who remains sidelined with a groin strain. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he is expected to miss at least another week. The Lakers have also dealt with injuries to Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes, though Hayes made his return in the win over Phoenix.

Reporting for ABC NBA Countdown: LeBron James has his first on-court workout today – with ESPN footage – plus a Lakers return timetable update: pic.twitter.com/xTeiMRblnp
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 16, 2025

While Luka Doncic has done his best to keep the team afloat, the Lakers have lacked consistency on both ends without their superstar leader.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors, who occupy sixth place, have surged since acquiring Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline and are riding a seven-game win streak. Below them, the Minnesota Timberwolves have won eight straight to improve to 40-29, while the Los Angeles Clippers have taken six of their last seven, pulling within 1.5 games of the Warriors and just four games back of the Lakers.

With those teams trending upward and James still sidelined, Los Angeles is heading in the wrong direction at the worst possible time and the road ahead appears daunting.

According to Tankathon, the Lakers have the sixth-hardest remaining schedule, with matchups against the Warriors, Bucks, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Thunder (twice) and Rockets (twice) still on the slate. The Clippers have the second-toughest schedule, but the Warriors rank just 14th, and the Timberwolves have the third-easiest path to the finish line.

If two of the Warriors, Timberwolves or Clippers continue their strong form while the Lakers stumble, the standings could shift dramatically. A high-stakes play-in scenario — a situation the Lakers had hoped to avoid — may soon become a reality.

Matt Evans

Matt Evans is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom, now based in Paris, France. He has covered various sports including basketball, soccer, boxing, MMA, and motorsports. Over the past decade, Matt has focused heavily on the NBA and has worked with many established outlets on a variety of content

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