A weird thing happened in Game 1, the Lakers (0-1) had trouble making baskets instead of preventing the other team from scoring. Usually, it's the other way around.

What's even stranger is the scoring efficiency for both teams. The Lakers actually had a better percentage in shooting at 41.1% versus 37.6% for the San Antonio Spurs (1-0). Of course, the purple and gold did turn the ball over 18 times resulting in 14 points for San Antonio and allowed 18 points from Tony Parker after holding him to just 4 points in their final meeting of the season at Staples Center last time.

But the difference in the game is the bench scoring.

Like a Hollywood script, the Lakers' (44-37) playoff hope rests in the final game of the season.

But the drama isn't theirs alone.

Utah is in Memphis fighting to make the playoffs if they beat the Grizzlies, who are trying to clinch home court advantage over the Clippers by beating the Jazz.

Then, there are the Houston Rockets (45-36) — a team most likely trying to avoid a 1st-round bout with the reigning Western Conference champs Thunder. But if they go down at Staples Center tonight against the Lakers, they will have no choice but to face OKC as they will surrender the 7th seed to the purple and gold despite ending their season with the same record and tying the season series with the Lakers at 2 apiece.

There are 3 games left to be played for the Lakers (42-37), but their work in maintaining their 8th seed status is far from over.

L.A. is a full game ahead of Utah, but the Jazz have a much easier schedule facing Minnesota twice and Memphis on the road. They've only beaten the Grizzlies once at home but are undefeated against the Timberwolves in 2 tries.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have the Golden State Warriors (45-34) tonight, Spurs on Sunday and Rockets next Wednesday. They've only lost to the Warriors once but are 1-4 combined versus San Antonio (0-2) and Houston (1-2).

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went into the Georgia Dome and led 3,000 kids a mile to Bracket Town all while dribbling a basketball over the weekend during the Final Four Dribble, fueled by POWERADE.

The 75th March Madness event is an effort to encourage fun, healthy and active lifestyles for kids and all ages. Kareem also served as the official grand marshal of the Final Four Dribble.

Watch a clip of the event below:

They're no longer coached by Phil Jackson, but Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are carrying the Lakers just like ol' times — especially in the 4th quarter.

You could argue that this should have been what the Lakers are doing since the start of the season, but you could also argue that the Lakers never really had a coach since Phil Jackson's departure who had any clue in how to utilize the 2 players who happened to be teammates when the Lakers won their last 2 championships.

The point of coaching is to win and winning titles is what Kobe and Pau know. So why would any coach not take advantage of what they know about winning and winning championships?

It wasn't easy but the Lakers (41-27) worked to get the 8th spot back by defeating the Hornets last night at Staples Center, 104-96.

Tonight, they will have to do it all over again inside an arena where they've only won twice in their last 10 visits and on the 2nd night of a back-to-back.

The purple and gold have yet to win both games of a back-to-back all season long. Ironically, they will have to get their first on the final set of such a schedule against a Portland Trailblazers (33-44) team that has lost their last 8 games.

Which streak will end tonight?

One positive thing going for the Lakers should they make it to the playoffs is no team will worry about the Lakers beating them in a 7-game series.

But that doesn't necessarily give the Lakers an automatic edge over their opponent considering that this team is still having a tough time comprehending the importance of winning every game in order to even plan on what they'll need to do in the playoffs.

Then again, you can't blame just the players or even just the coaching staff as to why seeing a full, concertive effort to play a 48-minute game is like playing Russian roulette.

As advertised, the Lakers are simply a team not ready for the playoffs.

Thanks to a Nugget victory in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the Lakers (39-36) have sneaked back in the 8th spot in the west. They are now a half game ahead of the Jazz but will still need to win most, if not all, of their remaining 7 games — including tonight.

The Memphis Grizzlies (51-24) come in to Staples Center as the Western Conference's hottest team with the longest winning streak of 4. They traded away their best perimeter player in Rudy Gay a few weeks before the trade deadline in order to help alleviate some of their salary tax burden now and in the seasons ahead. However, the loss of Gay hasn't exactly slowed this team down as they've won 22 of their 31 games following the trade.

Memphis has taken the first 2 meetings with the purple and gold. But with Gay no longer with the team, they could have a tough time matching the Lakers' perimeter output tonight. 

The Lakers will most likely do whatever they can to trade Pau Gasol this summer in order to help keep their salary books under what is currently $100 million.

Gasol knows it. But that doesn't stop him from giving his all on the floor for this team.

In a crucial game against the Mavericks on Tuesday, Pau put on a defensive effort on Dirk Nowitzki that really set the tone for the Lakers' defense the entire night.

Averaging 21.3 points on a 57.1% clip in the prior 10 games, Nowitzki was held to just 11 points on 4-out-of-13 shooting, including 1-of-3 from distance.

With only 8 games left in the regular season, the Lakers (38-36) are facing a win-or-die situation in their playoff hopes every single game. Tonight is definitely no exception.

The Dallas Mavericks (36-37) are sitting just a game-and-a-half back of the purple and gold for the 8th seed. A victory tonight will inch them within a half-game, but the consequences would be a very tough one to take for the Lakers since a loss would put the 8th spot a full game farther out of reach.

For Dallas, tonight's matchup at Staples Center is their first of 4 games of a very tough schedule that will conclude in Portland. For L.A., only their game against the Hornets at home next Tuesday is the only one that can be labeled remotely close to an easy win in their next 4-game stretch, which happens to also end at the Rose Garden against the Trailblazers — where they have lost 8 of their last 10 tries.

No doubt tonight is a HUGE game for either team.