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LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Lakers hope to secure the third seed in the Western Conference and home-court advantage through two rounds of the playoffs when they host the injury-depleted Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Los Angeles is tied with San Antonio and Dallas for the second-best record in the West but cannot become the second seed, which automatically goes to the Midwest Division champion. But the Lakers possess the best head-to-head record against the other two teams (6-2) and would earn the third seed and home-court advantage in a potential second-round playoff matchup if they win Wednesday. If the Lakers lose and both San Antonio and Dallas win on Wednesday, the Lakers would become the fourth seed and face fifth-seeded Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. If Los Angeles winds up with the third seed in the West, it will face sixth-seeded Portland, which defeated the Lakers 128-120 in a double-overtime thriller at the Rose Garden on Sunday. On Monday, the Lakers bounced back to beat Seattle at the Staples Center, 111-104, behind 41 points and 11 rebounds from Shaquille O'Neal. Sacramento extended its franchise record for wins to 61 with a 120-106 triumph over Golden State on Tuesday. Lawrence Funderburke and Scot Pollard each registered career highs with 29 and 23 points, respectively. Chris Webber sat out with a sprained right thumb and will miss Wednesday's contest, as will Bobby Jackson and Hedo Turkoglu, who left the game against the Warriors with a sprained left thumb and sprained left wrist, respectively. The Lakers have taken two of three matchups against the Kings this season, including a 93-85 victory here on November 18. Los Angeles has won the last two series and six of seven against Sacramento. |
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