Lakers’ Byron Scott downplays how 101-87 win over Philadelphia hurts lottery odds

File photo: Lakers head coach Byron Scott will miss games at Oklahoma City and Minnesota this week to attend funeral for his mother, Dorothy. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News)

File photo: Lakers head coach Byron Scott will miss games at Oklahoma City and Minnesota this week to attend funeral for his mother, Dorothy. (Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News)

The seconds ticked away before the outcome became official, prompting the vast segment of Lakers fans to stand up on their feet.

They cheered for a Lakers win. They clapped for the well-fought effort. They even chanted that they wanted free tacos.

For a rare time this season, the Lakers delivered on all those goods. A 101-87 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at Staples Center prompted the non-sellout crowd of 17,891 fans at Staples Center to show the elation that they once enjoyed in years that ended in a championship parade.

“I didn’t hear it,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “Really, I didn’t hear it.”

Well, nearly everyone else heard it. And the setting featured a dose of irony considering the Lakers’ latest win could actually lead to a greater loss. The Lakers (18-50) ended a four-game losing streak. But the outcome could hurt their lottery odds in retaining their top five pick that they otherwise owe to Philadelphia as part of the Steve Nash trade with Phoenix.

The Sixers (17-53) have the edge for the NBA’s third-worst record, while the Lakers have the league’s forth-worst mark. The Lakers, currently have an 82.8-percent chance of retaining their top-five pick. But the odds in keeping that pick increases to 96 percent with the league’s third worst record. The Lakers also have a 10.4 percent chance in landing the top pick, odds that increase to 15.6 percent with the third-worst record.

And yet…

“From the feedback I’ve been getting people from around the city,” Scott said, “they’re enjoying the way our guys play, how hard they play and the way they compete. So I’m not surprised by it.”

But shouldn’t Scott feel surprised? A few weeks ago, Scott estimated that half of Lakers fans want the team to lose while the other half want them to win after visiting his Instagram page.

Has that sentiment changed?

“I haven’t been on Instagram so I don’t know,” Scott said. “I’m sure if I go on it , there will be a lot of people who probably will be saying, ‘What the hell are you doing. What’s wrong with you guys?’ It is what it is.”

Scott then let out a hearty laugh if he will remain as defiant if the Lakers wind up with the sixth pick, which essentially will result in no pick.

“I don’t know. I have to wait until June to see,” said Scott, though the Lakers will actually know on May 19 during the NBA Draft Lottery. “I don’t know. But I’m not basing what happens in June right now. My job is to go out there and coach the guys to the best of my ability. That’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

That explains why Scott challenged his players at halftime after trailing 47-41. The Lakers then blitzed the Sixers in the second half, particularly in the fourth quarter by outscoring them 27-12. That quarter entailed key Lakers’ reserves playing the entire fourth quarter, including Jeremy Lin, Ed Davis, Jabari Brown and Ryan Kelly. Lin scored 12 of his season-high 29 points during that time.

“Both teams obviously wanted to win,” Scott said. “They played a lot better and harder than we did in the first half. Then in the second half, we played a lot better and harder. They matched their intensity. That was the key.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com