Will Lakers watch Golden State Warriors hosting Utah Jazz on Sunday?
After losing to the Clippers, 109-95, the Lakers (40-37) have fallen back to ninth place behind the Utah Jazz (40-37) by virtue of Utah’s tiebreaker.
The Jazz play at Golden State on Sunday night against the Warriors (44-32). For the Lakers to make the playoffs, they need Utah to lose at least one more game -- making Lakers fans suddenly hardcore Warriors’ fans for the night.
Will the Lakers’ players watch the game with so much at stake?
“I usually watch the games anyway. If I have a personal interest in it, I definitely watch it,†said Pau Gasol, who noted he’d watch his brother Marc Gasol’s game (Memphis Grizzlies) earlier in the afternoon.
“I like watching games to see how teams do, especially [the Jazz] -- I’m hoping they lose tonight against Golden State,†Gasol said.
Kobe Bryant was more flippant about the Jazz/Warriors game.
“I’ll probably go out to dinner, get some Italian food, not worry about that,†Bryant said. “Can’t worry about what you can’t control.â€
Dwight Howard was notably tight-lipped after the loss to the Clippers.
“I’m just going to stay focused on us,†Howard said.
Even if the Jazz do lose, the Lakers have little margin for error with five games remaining. They host the New Orleans Hornets on Tuesday night.
ALSO:
Clippers get first season series sweep over Lakers
Jeff Van Gundy expecting Clippers to sweep Lakers on Sunday
Kobe Bryant says he and Pau Gasol are unstoppable offensive duo
Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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