Having moved up to fifth in the Western Conference standings, the Los Angeles Lakers are in a tricky position leading up to the NBA trade deadline on Feb.

Never too high, never too low. That's the motto of the NBA Western Conference this year, as the conference has turned into a grind-it-out dogfight, where No. 5

Amid the Oklahoma City Thunder ’s best regular season in over a decade, Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant delivered a what-if scenario involving his former team. Former Thunder veteran Derek Fisher went down memory lane recently, and Durant followed suit in a recent Out The Mud Podcast episode.

In recent weeks, coach JJ Redick and James have both noted that the Lakers have no margin for error in games due to a thin roster. Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood were expected to be key pieces of the team's rotation but have missed the entire season so far.

As for the Bucks, they've won eight of their last 11 games and are continuing to do a great job of turning their season around despite their sputtering 2-8 start. Giannis Antetokounmpo has emphasized that the difference is simple: The team now trusts each other.

Law Murray of The Athletic relayed Harden's probable status after having predicted a potential "mass rest day" for the Clippers against Chicago. Harden has appeared in 39 of his team's 41 games this season, with Clippers head coach Ty Lue saying he always wants to suit up.

JJ Redick breaks silence on Austin Reaves injury after Clippers loss Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images. Lakers guard Austin Reaves suffered an injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday'

As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Los Angeles Lakers are at a critical juncture at 22-18 overall and 6th in the Western Conference.

LeBron James aired out his frustrations over the weekend about the Lakers' roster construction. Could the trade deadline give them clarity?

The Jazz played Lauri Markkanen and John Collins against OKC, and were tied with just over five minutes left, but lost the game from there. On turnovers, John Collins trade rumors, and Justin Zanik's broadcast interview.

LeBron James is 40 years old. Let that sink in for a second. Even at this point in his career, he is performing at an All-Star level. There are signs though that The King is slowing down a bit. The Los Angeles Lakers have exceeded most expectations this season and currently sit at 6th in the West with a 23-18 record.