For the second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Lakers will finish the regular season atop the Pacific Division.
The Lakers (49-26) clinched a playoff spot and the division title before their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night even tipped off, thanks to the Phoenix Suns’ 115-111 loss to the Orlando Magic earlier.
With division title already in tow, the Lakers defeated the Cavaliers, 127-113, on Tuesday night. With the win, the Lakers have secured back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
Luka Doncic made a statement in his return from a one-game suspension after receiving his 16th technical foul in LA’s win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, leading all scorers with 42 points. He also had 12 rebounds and 5 assists Xto re-assert himself in the MVP conversation. Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayrton added another boost offensively with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
While the Lakers have historically dominated the Pacific with 26 titles since the division was established in 1970-71, their current run of two straight since the arrival of head coach JJ Redick snapped a dry spell that began after their NBA championship run in 2019-20.
The red-hot Lakers — winners of 11 of their last 17 — currently sit as the third seed in the West after Monday, one game ahead of the fourth-place Denver Nuggets and three games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets. And with their postseason spot now in hand, LA could have a chance to cement their claim at the third spot with wins over the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Suns and Utah Jazz.
