Warriors

The Lakers won a game, keeping their playoff hopes alive, but at an incredibly steep cost. Kobe Bryant sustained a probable torn left Achilles' tendon Friday, the Lakers said, scheduling an MRI exam that would likely confirm it this morning. BOX SCORE: Lakers 118, Golden State 116 If ever there was a deflating victory, this was it, the Lakers outlasting the Golden State Warriors, 118-116, at Staples Center to stay ahead of the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

After losing to the Clippers, 109-95, the Lakers (40-37) have fallen back to ninth place behind the Utah Jazz (40-37) by virtue of Utah's tiebreaker. The Jazz play at Golden State on Sunday night against the Warriors (44-32). For the Lakers to make the playoffs, they need Utah to lose at least one more game -- making Lakers fans suddenly hardcore Warriors' fans for the night. Will the Lakers' players watch the game with so much at stake? "I usually watch the games anyway.  If I have a personal interest in it, I definitely watch it," said Pau Gasol, who noted he'd watch his brother Marc Gasol's game (Memphis Grizzlies)

Re "Mothers aid military in the names of their fallen sons," Column, March 24 Thanks to Steve Lopez for highlighting the work of two wonderful Gold Star mothers who work in the name of their sons' service and ultimate sacrifice. The Iraq war may have ended the lives of Army Spc. Trevor A. Win'E and Army Spc. Justin W. Pollard, but they live on through the memories of their mothers. However, I also want to point out the service of six other young people whose brief obituaries were buried deep inside the Sunday paper: James E. Groves III (37)

KAMA, Afghanistan - For more than two years, he was part of a secret, CIA-trained advance team for America's shadow war in Afghanistan, helping to collect intelligence that led to the killing or capture of Taliban suspects. Then, last September, having quit the team because of Taliban threats, the young stonemason and his family tragically found themselves on the wrong end of that intelligence. Shrapnel from a U.S. drone strike on two insurgent leaders struck and killed his younger sister on their small farm in eastern Afghanistan.

With Monday night's loss to the Warriors (41-31), the Lakers (36-35) fell 4½ games behind Golden State. L.A. only has 11 games remaining, and although the team can make up ground by beating the Warriors at Staples Center in mid-April, the Lakers aren't going to overtake Golden State in the standings. That ship sailed in Oakland on Monday. The Houston Rockets (39-31) are now 3½ games ahead with a visit to Staples Center left on the schedule, but they're playing too well. The gap is too large.

Lakers tonight AT GOLDEN STATE When: 7:30. Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland. On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330. Records: Lakers 36-34, Warriors 40-31. Record vs. Warriors: 2-0. Update: The Lakers enter their final extended trip of the season needing to beat Golden State to have any hope of overtaking the Warriors for the No. 6 seeding in the Western Conference. The Warriors hold a 3 1/2-game lead over the Lakers with 11 games remaining in their schedule.

Warriors 109 - Lakers 103 (final) The Lakers finally dug in defensively against the Warriors but their fourth-quarter run fell short, losing to Golden State, 109-103. After scoring 28, 35 and 31 in each of the first three quarters, the Warriors managed just 15 points in the final 12 minutes. The Lakers closed a 25-point deficit to just six late in the fourth but ultimately ran out of time. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 36 points on 11-of-27 shooting (converting 12-16 from the line)

OAKLAND - Uh-oh. Another sham-mockery. Coach Mike D'Antoni didn't go ballistic after this game, but the Lakers certainly imploded during a 109-103 loss Monday night at Oracle Arena. As teams try to build momentum and magnetism heading into the playoffs, the Lakers showed neither while losing a third consecutive game. Not that they seemed especially worried about that. "I'm terrified," Kobe Bryant said, sarcastically, of the suddenly sagging Lakers. "Do I look terrified?

The Lakers (36-34), coming off two straight losses, head to Golden State on Monday night to play the Warriors (40-31).  Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant returned from injury Friday, but the Lakers lost an 18-point lead to the Washington Wizards. Gasol was winded throughout his first game played in six weeks. Bryant had a poor showing defensively. The sixth-place Warriors are still within reach if the Lakers start winning consistently again, but it's going to take a victory in Oakland for L.A. to have any kind of chance to move up. Stephen Curry is working through a sprained ankle.

The Lakers (36-33) took the night off Wednesday but still gained ground in their playoff chase. The Rockets (37-31) defeated the Utah Jazz (34-34), 100-93, in Houston. The Golden State Warriors (39-31) lost in San Antonio, 104-93. The sixth-place Warriors are now just 2 1/2 games ahead of the Lakers. The two teams meet Monday in Oakland and on Apr. 12 at Staples Center. If the Lakers do win both then the gap between the two teams will get quite narrow. The Jazz are now 1 1/2 games behind the Lakers.