The Los Angeles Lakers have failed to follow up last year’s mid-season triumph. After starting the season 7-0 on their home court, the Lakers have dropped three straight. The star-studded duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for just 25 points – 12 and 15 respectively – as the Lakers lost 101-93 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Cup action on Friday night.
The team shot a measly 29% from beyond the arc while turning the ball over 17 times, both of which inhibited a potential comeback against the best team in the Western Conference. Rookie guard Dalton Knecht was a bright spot for the offense, leading the team with 20 points on 6/13 shooting from three, but his generous production wasn’t enough to thwart the 36-point surge from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Lakers are unlikely to advance in the NBA Cup
With the loss, the Lakers finished 2-2 in Group Play of the Emirates NBA Cup after previously losing to the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday. According to Lakers reporter Mike Trudell, the Lakers are virtually eliminated from advancing to the knockout round:
“The Lakers are essentially eliminated from the NBA Cup here, and won’t have a chance to defend their inaugural title into the elimination stage, dropping to 2-2 in Group B.”
What is the NBA Cup?
The Emirates NBA Cup, also known as the in-season tournament, was introduced last season in an effort to drive competition and fan-interest in the early parts of the regular season. All 30 teams participate with each game — aside from the championship — counting toward regular season standings.
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Teams are split into six groups of five and play four Group Play matchups, where the best eight teams advance to the single-elimination knockout rounds. All knockout round-bound teams receive a portion of the prize pool depending on how far they advance. The last team standing, however, takes home the NBA Cup trophy and each player collects $500,000.
Los Angeles won the first NBA Cup last year
The Lakers might have finished as the eighth seed in the Western Conference last year, but they were a completely different animal in the inaugural NBA Cup.
Los Angeles swept the group stage and rode their momentum to Las Vegas for the Cup final against Indiana. There, the trio of Davis, James, and Austin Reaves erupted to beat the Pacers and secure the first NBA Cup trophy.
James, who averaged 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists throughout the Cup, took home the In-Season Tournament MVP. Both he and Davis were named to the All-Tournament Team.
The Lakers need a miracle to advance to the elimination round
After falling to 2-2 in Group Play, the Lakers’ elimination isn’t necessarily a done deal. However, the chances of Los Angeles advancing are incredibly slim.
Trudell followed up on his previous comment to elaborate on what it would take for the Lakers to advance, emphasizing that their underwhelming Group Play record and considerable point differential make the act fundamentally impossible.
“The Wildcard team in the West will very likely to be 3-1 (could be OKC, PHX, SAS, DAL or POR),” Trudell wrote. “Even in an extremely unlikely case that many teams are tied at 2-2, Lakers would be out on point differential (-24).”
While Los Angeles won’t add another NBA Cup to their trophy case this season, they continue their quest for their 18th Larry O’Brien. With a record of 11-8, the Lakers sit at sixth in the Western Conference and look to return to the win column tomorrow night against the Utah Jazz.
