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Lakers' 5 Straight Losses & Playoff Seeding Still Not Set
What's Going On? Lakers lost their 5th game in a row last night. It was the first time in the Pau Gasol era.Game 1: Nuggets 95 Lakers 90
Game 2: Jazz 86 Lakers 85
Game 3: Warriors 95 Lakers 87
Game 4: Blazers 93 Lakers 86
Game 5: Thunder 120 Lakers 106
Lakers couldn't even get close to 100 points in any of their first 4 games of the streak. But when they finally find their offense, they don't play defense on the other end. It's frustrating watching these games at home knowing they should be capable of blowing some of these teams out.
I'm not worried at all by this current losing streak. They just won 17 of 18 before this skid, plus it's not the playoffs yet. If they continue to play like this, then they won't be making it out of the first round.
Kevin Ding from the OC Register posted a story last night about 5 problems the Lakers currently have.
1. Andrew & Lamar. (Sorry, Khloe.)
End-game situations are more important than anything in the NBA playoffs. It's not required that the Lakers play the same five guys to finish games, but there is a comfort level for a team to know which is your best crew for closing.
End-game situations are more important than anything in the NBA playoffs. It's not required that the Lakers play the same five guys to finish games, but there is a comfort level for a team to know which is your best crew for closing.
2. Andrew & the Killer B's.
As much sense as it makes to reward Bynum's diligent defensive play by putting him out there for offensive opportunities with the Lakers' second unit (when Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are not on the floor), it hasn't worked real well lately.
As much sense as it makes to reward Bynum's diligent defensive play by putting him out there for offensive opportunities with the Lakers' second unit (when Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are not on the floor), it hasn't worked real well lately.
3. Shannon Brown is still going down.
Brown's sharp start to the season feels like eons ago. He has regressed in every way, and if there had been signs this was coming, maybe the Lakers wouldn't have been so eager to dump Sasha Vujacic's attitude and salary.
Brown's sharp start to the season feels like eons ago. He has regressed in every way, and if there had been signs this was coming, maybe the Lakers wouldn't have been so eager to dump Sasha Vujacic's attitude and salary.
4. Bombs away ... way, way away.
The Lakers are not even an average 3-point shooting team. They are at 35.3 percent, 18th best in the 30-team NBA. When Odom (39.3 percent) is your best 3-point shooter, as was the case until Derek Fisher (39.4) recently nosed ahead of him, you know it's a problem.
The Lakers are not even an average 3-point shooting team. They are at 35.3 percent, 18th best in the 30-team NBA. When Odom (39.3 percent) is your best 3-point shooter, as was the case until Derek Fisher (39.4) recently nosed ahead of him, you know it's a problem.
5. The power of intimidation.
The Lakers chose to take a breather here before needing to summon their playoff intensity. It is going to cost them meeting Jackson's stated goal of bettering their 57-victory season a year ago – the best this team can do is match it by winning the last two games – and probably home-court advantage against both Chicago and Miami in potential NBA Finals.
Playoff PictureThe Lakers chose to take a breather here before needing to summon their playoff intensity. It is going to cost them meeting Jackson's stated goal of bettering their 57-victory season a year ago – the best this team can do is match it by winning the last two games – and probably home-court advantage against both Chicago and Miami in potential NBA Finals.
Click To Enlarge If Lakers/Mavericks tie at the end of the regular season. Lakers hold tiebreaker.
If Lakers/Thunder tie at the end of the regular season. Lakers hold tiebreaker.
Click To Enlarge If Lakers/Celtics tie at the end of the regular season and meet up in the finals. Lakers hold tiebreaker.
If Lakers/Heat tie at the end of the regular season and meet up in the Finals. Heat hold tiebreaker.
To sum it all up, Lakers must win against the Spurs on Tuesday and the Kings on Wednesday.
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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