Only seven games remain in the 2013-14 NBA season for the Los Angeles Lakers with basically nothing left to play for rather than position in the 2014 NBA Draft.
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With that being said, it is difficult to motivate players without an ultimate goal ahead, but rookie Ryan Kelly suggests that the team has found something to motivate them moving forward. Kelly says the team is using the prospect of knocking the Dallas Mavericks out of playoff contention as a motivating factor according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Ryan Kelly (1/2): "That's what we have to be motivated by (knocking Dallas out of playoffs) that, and pride, individual pride…"
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 3, 2014
Ryan Kelly (2/2): "I know I'm certainly not going to mail it in or check out & I believe that all my teammates will do the same." (on TWC)
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 3, 2014
Despite the Lakers losing their 50th game of the season and being well on their way to the worst record in franchise history, the team has been in good spirits with players like Kelly and Nick Young leading the way. Young has made a point of it to emphasize the fact that need to concentrate on being playoff spoilers for teams like the Mavericks.
Although the Lakers have lost two in a row, the team has put up a fight as of late and has played better than expected. The final games of the season will be rough to say the least for the Lakers with only one opponent, the Utah Jazz, not competing for a playoff spot or positioning in the Western Conference.
On Friday, the Lakers will face off against the Mavericks at the Staples Center with the goal being to knock them out of playoff contention. Dallas is currently battling it out with the Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns for seventh and eighth seed in the West.
Every game from here on out will be crucial for all three teams making Friday’s game extremely important to Dallas’ playoff hopes.
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Steve Nash Has A “Blast,” Despite Rolling Ankle
