LOS ANGELES -- It's early, but it's never too late to make some headway for a spot in the playoffs that begin sometime next April.
The Los Angeles Lakers wasted an excellent opportunity to climb further up the Western Conference standings last Sunday when they fell to the Orlando Magic, 108-104 at the Staples Center.
They could have been 12-7 instead of 11-8. And based on last season's final tally in which 47 wins was the threshold for the playoffs, the Lakers' margin for error has decreased with a loss to a team they should have beat.
It was L.A.'s second defeat to Orlando this season and the Lakers had no answer to Nikola Vucevic who submitted 31 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Aaron Gordon provided more headache with 17 points while D. J. Augustine pitched in 12 points and nine dimes. Orlando shot 42 of 93 from the field and 11 of 31 treys.
LeBron James was his usual brilliant self, but his 24 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 40 minutes. Kyle Kuzma made 7-of-15 field goals to register 21 but besides the combined 25 points from Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee, the Lakers got little else as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope went a mere 1-for-7 from the floor.
There are many pointer that were revealed in that Magic debacle, but this is the biggest --- LeBron needs help.
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