Lakers Clinch Seven Seed in the West
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Stephen Dunn/Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Pau Gasol recorded his seventh triple-double of his career helping the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Houston Rockets, 99-95 in overtime Wednesday night. The win clinches the Lakers the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Lakers (45-37) almost won the game in regulation but Rockets forward Chandler Parsons hit a 34-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Gasol finished the game with 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists.
“It was satisfying because we got another great win,” Gasol said. “The way we’ve been playing lately has just been great. We just got to keep the momentum going…see if we can carry it over to the first round of the playoffs.”
There the Lakers will meet the San Antonio Spurs. The Lakers entered the night with a chance of not making the playoffs at all. A Utah win coupled with a loss, would have had the Lakers on the outside looking in. Instead Utah lost, and the Lakers won the seventh seed with Houston getting the eighth seed.
Lakers guard Steve Blake scored a team high 24 points in the win.
“No one was expecting this that’s for sure,” Blake said of the team getting the seventh seed. “We’ve been through a lot as a team from coaching changes…to players being hurt….to our owner passing away. I mean you name it we’ve gone through it in one year. I think in some ways it’s made us stronger and hopefully it will help us out in the long run.”
Houston (45-37) will now take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
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