Despite losing their second straight game to the host South Bay Lakers on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz Warriors own the NBA G League’s best record on the road. Now, they’ll need to up their game at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz if they hope to secure a playoff berth.

The Warriors, despite making a season-high 20 3-pointers, suffered a 134-130 to the Lakers at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo to cap a 5-2 road trip.

With their loss, the Warriors (18-14) dropped to sixth place in the conference with two games remaining in the regular season. The top six teams qualify for the postseason, and Oklahoma City (17-14) and Sioux Falls (17-14) are also pushing to secure a berth.

Santa Cruz hosts the Rip City Remix (13-18) on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.The Warriors are 6-9 at home, 12-5 on the road.

They led by as many as 18 points Tuesday, but South Bay (15-17) closed with a 14-2 run over the final 2 minutes, 28 seconds.

Santa Cruz had three players record 20-plus points in their narrow setback to the Lakers, Two-way forward Jackson Rowe finished with a team-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds.

Two-way forward Braxton Key and forward Blake Hinson each scored 21 points. Key also had seven rebounds and five assists, and Hinson added five assists, four rebounds, and three blocks.

Guard Yuri Collins recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 assists, and forward Javan Johnson scored 19 points. Two-way guard Taran Armstrong continued to shine off the bench. He had 15 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

Guard Quincy Olivari led South Bay with a game-high 33 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Guard Sir’Jabari Rice came off the bench and scored 28 points. Guard Jhonathan Dunn connected on six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points and five rebounds.

Guard Bronny James, on assignment from the Los Angeles Lakers and coming off a G League career-high 39-point outing Monday, recorded 17 points, nine assists, and six rebounds.

South Bay center Kylor Kelley scored 14 points and forward Stanley Johnson added 13 points.