Westbrook trade buzz has finally died down

One step forward, one step back. Injuries and illness took a toll on the Lakers’ 1-3 record this past week just when they seemed primed to take a leap ahead.

As of Monday morning, the Lakers (11-15) are tied for 12th in the Western Conference standings with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Westbrook they are seven games behind the first-place New Orleans Pelicans (18-8). They’re two games behind the Dallas Mavericks (13-13) for a play-in slot and three games behind the Portland Trail Blazers (14-12) for a top-six spot.

Gotta go with the Lakers’ one win, 124-117 in Detroit, as meager as it might have seemed on the heels of last week’s high point in Milwaukee. LeBron James and Anthony Davis worked nicely together, combining for 69 points and closing out down the stretch. Austin Reaves hit a key 3-pointer with seconds left. The team cited the importance of getting a confidence boost by ending a three-game losing streak before facing Boston on Tuesday.

Highly debatable, because the Lakers impressed Friday night by erasing a 12-point deficit in just 2 minutes, 30 seconds and forcing an extra period in Philadelphia. But after Anthony Davis missed what would have been a go-ahead free throw, the Lakers couldn’t muster any offense in extra time, missing their first nine field goals in what became a 133-122 loss. Whether it pointed to tired legs, a schematic deficiency, some rash shot attempts or a combination of those factors, it was a big letdown moment in what could have been a road triumph against Joel Embiid and James Harden. It hurt more because victory felt so close.