Make or break month+ for the Lakers

[julius]

Ok, not make or break (as they're already pretty damn good), but they're up for a HARD two months here.

I checked the standings today, and noticed that the Lakers have played 26 home games (being 23-3) but only 17 road games (12-5). Starting Friday, the Lakers finally play a lot of games on the road. They have 6 straight on the road, one at home (OKC), and then 6 out of 9 on the road and then 10 out of 13 on the road (including a 7 game trip!).

All in all, from Jan 30th through April 1st, the Lakers play 22 games out of 31 games on the road. Of course, given their current winning %'s, they're slotted to win 23 out of those 31 games (15 on the road, 8 at home). If they win that % (or even go, say, 18-13, ending this period with appx 53 wins), they should have their division wrapped up at bare min.

However, of their 22 road games, 10 are against Atlanta, Detroit, San Antonio, Houston, Portland (the last three are in a road trip on it's own), Phoenix, Denver, Utah, Cleveland and Boston. Those teams, currently, have a combined home losses of 50 (or about 5 each).

So they are not easy places to win (some more than others. Phoenix, Detroit and San Antonio aren't their normally good home records). So let's say they go 5-5 in those games (Portland, Cleveland, Boston, Utah and a wildcard). That means the other 12 games on the road, they'd have to go 10-2 to meet the 15 wins barrier for their total wins to reach 23 games, and maintain their current %'s.

I do think they could actually go 9-0 at home, as their toughest opponents are Atlanta, New Orleans, Phoenix and Dallas. Let's say go 8-1 or even 7-2 at home. To maintain their current dominance of the West (that sucks saying that), they would have to do better than .500 against the 10 teams I mentioned above, or run the table against the other 12 teams (an average of 13 home losses).

7+5+12=21.

It's possible they could win those games, but it's a hard task to do. A 6 game and a 7 game road trips could be season makers (as in, running away with the conference title) or a season breaker (fall down into the pack).

DaRizzle, care you give your opinion on this? Am I downplaying the Lakers chances of running the table?

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

Beat LA.

 

[DaRizzle]

Well as of today the Lakers have the most road games left of any team (24). This six game road trip coming up is due to the Grammy's being held at the Staples Center/Nokia Theater. Last year the Lakers had a 9 GAME road trip for the same reason. Pau Gasol played his first game as a Laker three games into that road trip. The Lakers went 8-1 on that trip and really started to believe in themselves from that point forward.

BTW...Guess of those 9 game which game I bet on the Lakers while I was in Tahoe.. ...fuckin ATL

Anyways...I always like the Lakers on the road. I really think they embrace it too. The Lakers are not know for having the best fans so homecourt in LA is lessened. On the road they really seem to focus more and embrace the role of spoiler. Bynum has now had 3 VERY solid games in a row, Kobe's stats have improved every month of the season, Sasha seems fully recovered and up to speed since the injury cut into his training camp, and Farmar came back today 2 weeks early from knee surgery and played great. Besides this last month when Fisher had to play a bunch due to Farmars injury there has been a real effort to keep minutes down for the starters. You will rarely see anyone play over 40 minutes this year, its great. I really think that all these less minutes is gonna pay off big time when the playoffs roll around.

The Pacific Division is already wrapped up...11 game lead and PHX is going nowhere but down or .500

The Lakers best ball of the year has been the first 2 weeks of the year and this last week. This team is really coming together. We just steamrolled a healthy Spurs squad like it was nothing. Being on the road has a relativly minimal impact on the Lakers especially at this point in time...I expect very good things on the road.

My prediction for the rest of the year: 33-6

 

[BalancedMan]

Why is this in the Blazer forum?

 

[TehChad]

Why is this in the Blazer forum?

^^^

 

[DaRizzle]

because its basketball...in the NBA...in the west, Everything else is talked about around here

 

[julius]

Why is this in the Blazer forum?

Well, I figured with the Lakers being a team that Portland fans tend to hate, I wanted to point out that there is a possibility that their record is inflated a bit by their home heavy schedule to start off the season.

I don't see you bitching about the mustache thread Mas Rip City started, or the one DaRizzle started about his "main man" dominating him (in the sack).

 

[BalancedMan]

Well, I figured with the Lakers being a team that Portland fans tend to hate, I wanted to point out that there is a possibility that their record is inflated a bit by their home heavy schedule to start off the season.

I don't see you bitching about the mustache thread Mas Rip City started, or the one DaRizzle started about his "main man" dominating him (in the sack).

I guess when I see DaRizzle I just assume it will be about Lakers, and as far as MAS's thread, it was about Indiana. Lakers get talked about a lot here as it is. And it's just kind of annoying....idk.

 

[TehChad]

Well, if I wanted to talk/hear about the Lakers, I'd go to the Lakers section on these forums, but that's just me.

And sorry, I don't have time to browse and read through every single thread on here. If I did, I'd ask why it was in the Blazers' section as I have this one.