Also, it's no longer a foregone conclusion that the Lakers will get the #1 seed. If AD/Bron don't play and they lose on x-mas, they'll have just 1 less loss than Denver and 2 less than Houston (who they're yet to play this season, 3 games scheduled in 2020).
So with 2/3rds of the season left, LAL still tops with 6 losses, Denver with 8, Hou 9, and LAC, Mavs with 10 apiece.
But if LAL concedes to #loadmanagementlife, then Denver and Houston have a chance to really fukk up the playoff bracket on some tortoises vs the hare ish down the stretch.