The Los Angeles Lakers (44-37) are one game up on the Utah Jazz (43-38) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, with each team playing its final game of the regular season tonight. The Utah Jazz will face the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis at 8:00 p.m., in a game that will be televised on ESPN and can be live streamed on ESPN.com.
The Los Angeles Lakers will be in action at home against the Houston Rockets at 10:30, also on ESPN following the Jazz game. If the Jazz lose to the Grizzlies, then it is up to the Lakers to take care of business at the Staples Center for the eighth seed. If Utah loses, then the Lakers are guaranteed a berth and a date with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jazz center Al Jefferson said, "It comes down to one game now. It's a big game. The only thing we can worry about is what we can control, going out there and trying to take care of the game, and trying to win, and just leave the rest up to the Lakers, I guess."
Win or lose, Jazz head coach Tyrone Corbin said he is proud of his team of which not much was expected this season. "Talk about this group of guys, man the character that they have, there was no quit in this group. The guys just continued to work."
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Dwight Howard is relishing the challenge of willing the Lakers to the postseason in Kobe Bryant's absence. "This is a great opportunity for myself and this team to show who we are. We've got to give it everything we've got. We're going to fight to the end and do our best. Despite whatever has happened this season, we've got a chance to win this next game, go into the playoffs and make history. With Kobe out, I understand that I have to do more and be more for this team. This is a great opportunity for me, and I believe I can do it."
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