Joel Embiid looked spry in that one, particularly on defense. And he, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey all scored at least 26 points. The raw talent in that trio can stack up against just about any team in the NBA. It just has to have all three standing for an entire series.

The current conversations surrounding the Lakers’ playoff prospects are significantly different than they were a month ago. It was just 4 ½ weeks ago when there were real concerns about whether the Lakers,

Only one game Friday features a pair of playoff teams. Plus, updated playoff projections, draft lottery standings after Thursday.

Sustaining success and consistency throughout the entire NBA season is extremely difficult. Even the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, have