Any remaining hope that the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans had for the postseason unofficially died with a heartbreaking loss to the LA Clippers at Staples Center on Monday.
With a loss to the Clippers, the Lakers are now 5.5 games back of the eighth seed in the Western Conference, with 18 games left in the regular season. Assuming 45 games guaranteed them a spot in the playoffs, the Lakers would have to go 15-3 the rest of the way with the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors still on their upcoming schedule.