Lakers Squeak By Mavericks, Move Closer To Final Playoff Spot

Kobe Bryant guaranteed that the Los Angeles Lakers will make the playoffs this year, and, on Sunday, he helped the team take one small step toward the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

The Lakers outlasted the Dallas Mavericks 103-99, bringing the team’s record to one game below .500. Bryant led the way with a near triple-double of 38 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, and one block.

The game came down to a duel between Kobe and Dirk Nowitzki, who finished with a season-high 30 points.

“It’s fun,” said Bryant, via ESPN. “He’s one of my all-time favorites. He’s a throwback type of player. He doesn’t mind the physicality. He made some incredible plays down the stretch.”

The Lakers are now within a game and a half of the eighth and final playoff spot, currently held by the Houston Rockets. Handcuffed by a slow start to the year, the Lakers took a long time to gel but have been on a roll lately. The team has won three games in a row now and seven of the last 10.

Earlier this month, Kobe Bryant had guaranteed that the Lakers would make the playoffs. Though not unusual for a player as competitive as Kobe, many outsiders saw that guarantee as unlikely given the team’s turmoil this year.

“If the guarantee was somewhat shocking, it’s only because the Los Angeles Lakers have been shockingly bad,” wrote Tim Dahlberg, columnist for The Associated Press. “That’s hardly Kobe Bryant’s fault, though as usual he’s the one charged with fixing the mess. He has to, because his coach can’t seem to figure it out, and neither can the stars brought in to help him win a sixth ring.”

If he can’t make good on his guarantee for the Lakers, Kobe will find himself out of the playoffs for only the second time in his 16-year career.