As expected, they did not, they eventually lost 121-110, with another of their patented now fake returns making the final score look closer than it should. Their defeat officially excluded them from claiming the play-in game. The pattern was familiar. The Lakers, once again losing LeBron James, came out with a competitive first half, leading 31-28 after the first ten minutes and only five points behind at halftime. However, Phoenix hit them after the break, leading by 24 in the middle of the third quarter and was never seriously threatened again. For a Lakers team that has mastered the art of lying down when the opponent shows the slightest battle or ability and has the collective mental resilience of a boiling frog alive, it was a fitting end to their season. On the plus side, it eliminates unhealthy sugary foods from one’s diet. This is a solid silver investment in a year without much of it for anyone who makes purple and gold. The Lakers will then head to Golden State to face the Warriors on Thursday as they move on to the official end of the season. But with the results tonight, it will be interesting to see how they approach this, because what has been clear for some time now is finally official: This team has nothing else to play. For more chats with the Lakers, sign up for the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.
