With just over 20 games remaining in the 2018-19 NBA season, head coach Luke Walton and Los Angeles Lakers are facing long odds as they look to end their five-year playoff drought.
Despite an impressive comeback win against the Houston Rockets, the Lakers did not play with any sense of urgency against the New Orleans Pelicans — who were without Anthony Davis.
As a result, the Lakers lost 128-115 to begin a two-game road trip and now find themselves 3.5 games back of the Clippers for the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
Following their 30th loss of the season, Walton identified a common theme in these type of results, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“It’s similar to what we talk about all the time.