The Lakers got a much needed win on Wednesday night, outlasting the Pelicans down the stretch of a game that was closer than it needed to be and, really, should have been. The Pelicans play hard, but even a generous viewing of their organizational predicament must be viewed through the team’s obvious incentive to lose games to better their draft position in the hopes of securing a good enough talent in June to buttress whatever return from the inevitable Anthony Davis trade that will come in July.
That’s what leads us to Davis not playing a single 4th quarter minute and Alvin Gentry (who I like a lot) throwing out a lineup without Jrue Holiday or Julius Randle playing when the game was within 6 points with only 6 minutes left to play.