After helping his team claim possession of the 8th seed this weekend, Lakers star Anthony Davis spoke on how to keep the momentum going. In the post-game chat with Mike Trudell, the All-Star big man sent a simple message to take things one game at a time.

“We were focused on Cleveland now we’re focused on Minnesota and just keep going from there,” said Davis. “Now we control our own destiny. Just keep stacking, keep building, keep getting better every day… One game at a time and then we’ll build from there.”

The Lakers were stuck in 9th place for weeks, and even as they kept winning games, their position remained unchanged in the standings. It wasn’t until Saturday’s blowout win over the Cavaliers that the Purple and Gold finally moved up to take Sacramento’s place at 8th.

From a fan’s perspective, it’s easy to get excited about the direction the Lakers are headed but Davis’ message was the same that LeBron shared earlier this week when he told the media that he was not worried about the West standings. With just four games left to go in the season, the Lakers are already in playoff mode, and getting caught up in seeding or potential first-round matchups will only serve as a distraction.

For Davis’ part, he has stepped up as a leader this season, both on and off the court. Night after night, he makes his impact felt defensively, where he’s known as one of the best in the game. This season in particular has been one of his best as a Laker and he’s managed to stay mostly healthy all the way through. In 72 games this season, Davis is averaging 24.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game on 55% shooting.

Los Angeles Lakers Are Fighting For Playoff Position

Tonight’s win over the Cavaliers put the Lakers at 45-33 this season, good enough for 8th in the West and just 1.5 games back from the 6th-seeded Suns. We already know that the Lakers are not considering the seeding, but maintaining their current rank may be crucial in setting up a favorable bracket.

Assuming the Lakers win a hard-fought play-in game against the Pelicans, they will advance to face the Denver Nuggets in the first round, a less-than-ideal scenario for LeBron and company. But if the Lakers want to get through the West and make the NBA Finals, they will likely need to face the Nuggets anyway, and that matchup will be the ultimate test for them.

Of course, if the Lakers slide back into 9th, they risk their chances in a single elimination play-in game against the Golden State Warriors. With only four games to go for the season, every win or loss from here could have big implications on where the Lakers fall in the standings and, consequently, who they face in the opening rounds. Being 9th or 7th could make all the difference this year, and these final four games may very well make or break the Lakers’ season.

Of course, LeBron and Anthony Davis are not going to focus at all on their placement. Instead, they will just focus on the game in front of them, which happens to be against the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night.