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Los Angeles Lakers will not be involved in the postseason after Tuesday's 121-110 defeat at Western Conference leaders Phoenix Suns.
The Suns have secured top seed in the West and will have home court advantage throughout the playoffs, and they can be backed at 3/1 to win the NBA Championship outright.
The Lakers knew they needed to win in Phoenix to keep their hopes of reaching the play-in tournament alive after San Antonio Spues won at Denver Nuggets earlier on Tuesday.
The LA outfit were without LeBron James for the fifth time in their last seven games due to an ankle injury but Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook started, scoring 21 and 28 points respectively.
The Lakers started strongly and held a five-point lead midway through the second quarter, but the Suns went on a 20-6 run and were never behind after taking a five-point lead of their own at half-time.
"We wanted to play our part in bringing success to Lakers basketball and we fell short," said Lakers coach Frank Vogel, via the BBC.
"We're extremely disappointed. Disappointed for our fanbase, disappointed for the [ownership], that gave us this opportunity.
"It's not been due to a lack of effort. We have all put in the work. Guys stayed fighting right to the end.
"We brought integrity to the process we just fell short through a disjointed season. We're all disappointed."
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James will miss out on the playoffs for just the fourth time in his 19 seasons in the NBA and the playoff picture in the West is now close to being decided.
Phoenix, Memphis, Golden State, Dallas and Utah have all claimed playoff places.
Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves are still battling for the last remaining top six spot, and whoever misses out will join LA Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio in the play-in tournament to fight for the seventh and eighth seeds.
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