Playoff Scenarios Hinge on the Outcome

It’s tough to consider this the start of the postseason run, considering both teams are missing major players, but playoff implications are still on the line as the Lakers and Houston Rockets meet tonight at the Forum.

The Lakers hold a half-game lead for No. 3 in the West. If Houston wins, it will technically be worth a two-game swing in the standings, since the Rockets will then have clinched the season series, the first tiebreaker.

If the Lakers win, the 1996-97 matchup with the Rockets will end at 2-2, and a tie would go to the second tiebreaker, record within conference.

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Del Harris last week moved past Alex Hannum into No. 20 on the list for coaching victories and will tie Kevin Loughery for 19th with the next victory.

Harris is 473-423, 141-82 in nearly three seasons with the Lakers. That puts him eighth among active coaches, behind Lenny Wilkens, Dick Motta, Pat Riley, Bill Fitch, Larry Brown, Jerry Sloan and Mike Fratello.