Lakers vs. Jazz Preview: Hey, it’s possible!

With five games remaining in the first half of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers are 22-10, which is good enough for the third-best record in both the Western Conference and the league as a whole. However, due to the fact that they’ve lost four out of their last five games, they’re closer to the No. 4 seed Phoenix Suns than they are the No. 1 seed Utah Jazz.

The Lakers will have an opportunity to make up some ground in the standings when they play the Jazz on Wednesday, but they’ll have to do it without Anthony Davis and Dennis Schröder. Davis has been ruled out through the All-Star break due to a calf strain and re-aggravated Achilles tendinosis, and Schröder won’t be back with the team until Friday the earliest.

With just Davis out, the Lakers are 5-1 this season. With Schröder and Davis out, they’re 0-3 with their latest loss coming against the now 11-18 Washington Wizards on Monday. In their last five games, they’re 1-4.

It’s possible that the Lakers figure something out against the Jazz on Wednesday, but going into the game, they won’t be the favorites. The Jazz have lost just four of their last 25 games and they have’t lost a game Vivint Arena since Dec. 31. They’re really good, and there’s no reason to believe they’re going to slow down.

For those same reasons, though, it would be hilarious if the Lakers beat them without Davis and Schröder in the lineup. Either way, Lakers in four.

The Lakers and Jazz will tip-off at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be broadcast on ESPN nationally and Spectrum SportsNet locally.

Notes and updates

• Dennis Schröder (health and safety protocols) and Anthony Davis (right calf strain) will not be available for Wednesday’s contest.

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