What we learned this weekend...

This is a very interesting Lakers Sixers game BB.

Both teams have tanked incessantly throughout the entire year and we are coming down the stretch with a H2H tonight.

The Sixers are one game up on the Lakers and if the Lakers win this game, after all the tie-breakers, and given how rarely teams at the bottom win, they lock up the 4th spot. If the Sixers lose, they can lock up the 3rd spot for all intents and purposes after tie-breakers.

But there is another layer here as you mentioned.

Orlando is really tanking hard so if Byron doesn't field his worst roster (they've pretty much put everyone on injured reserved that they could), the Lakers could actually jump to 5 if they win a few more too.

This is a MAJOR issue, as you know well, because if they get to the 5th worst record it is a virtual guarantee they will lose their draft pick as virtually every year, at least one team below 5 leapfrogs the pack.

The Lakers could really go on a run to secure their spot at 3 if they lost tonight and tie the Sixers in the win column (and then lose a bunch more to stay at 3 and virtually guarantee their pick).

But the Sixers have been winning a bit 3-4 in their last 7 which is outstanding for them.

Plus the Lakers already beat the Sixers recently which is probably why this line is at 4.5.

I just don't understand what the Lakers are doing if they win this game. But ultimately, when it comes to tanking, the players have the control so whatever the front office wants they don't always get.

The funny thing is, the Lakers have been playing hard enough of late to stay within a lot of spreads so losing isn't a problem but the spread is.

So the Sixers ML here solves that.

Let's just hope the Lakers players comply tonight. Just remember, the Sixers want to tank badly too and are masters at it, far better than the Lakers are.