[Arclite]

They get..

Sacramento w/o Webber
Utah w/o Harpring and Sloan
Pacers w/o Artest.

If they can't get into the playoffs with the way Kobe has been scoring lately and some of the breaks they are getting it would be pretty sad..

[Lakers_32_4ever]

they'll make it. Every great team has their struggles

[RangerC]

Actually it was Sacramento without Webber, B. Jackson, and Pollard - their best player, 4th best player, and 2 of the 3 players they use to guard Shaq (Keon Clark on Shaq does NOT work) - plus both Sacramento and Utah were coming off back-to-backs and extended stretches of games while the Lakers were coming off a rest period. This sort of thing does even out, though, to some extent (Lakers have a stretch of 15 games in 24 days (12 road) in March-April). They will most likely get into the playoffs (Houston is just 2 1/2 games ahead and after today's game will have 6 more road than home games remaining) UNLESS either Shaq or Kobe gets seriously injured OR Houston manages to play like a 60 win team on the road (plus none of the other playoff teams slip).

[Steez]

Umm.......... HATERS! all of you... if it was some other team, no one would be getting these little facts.

Fact of the matter is, Lakers are on a role and no one is going to stop them... give them some props.

[grizzoistight]

IF they beat indy..
their next games are against denver the knicks denver the spurs and the knicks..

[Masbee]

Interesting. I wrote the following last night and didn't finish it to post it. The Lakers do deserve some props. They have lifted themselves up from playing like a lottery team, to playing like a playoff team. That is an improvement.

Are they playing like a true contender yet. Nope. But they also haven't had too many opportunities to show it. It isn't the Lakers fault. They can only play who shows up. They are winning more of the games they "should" win now, but not dominating. And even diehard Laker fans would tell you the defense has a ways to go. But the wins are building confidence for the team and laying the groundwork the next step, if they take it.

Feb offers some opportunities to gauge the progress with games @ Indiana, vs San Antonio, @ Utah, & vs Portland. Those are the only tough games (4 out of 13) in February. The Lakers MUST make a big run this month. March offers a BRUTAL schedule with several back-to-backs, a six game and a 3 game road trip, and 10 games against teams over .500.

The Lakers are winning right now. The way their season has gone, that’s is all that matters now – racking up some W’s. If they continue to do that they can worry about what they have and have not proven. Early in their slump I said they needed to avoid posting 30 L’s before 30 W’s. Currently at 22 – 23, they only have to go 8 – 6 or better to avoid my predicted “point of no return” for losing hold of the season.

But with their 3rd straight win, it is not too early to see if they have proven anything yet. Since their amazing win over Dallas December 6th they have a fair number of solid wins (solid means not looking at wins against bad teams, or home wins against bad road teams).

Dec 8th vs. Utah (11-13 road), Lakers caught a bit of a break as Ostertag was ejected after just 2 minutes of play and Shaq ran wild with 32pts.

Jan 7th vs. Seattle (11-13 road), against a team that has given them trouble recent years. Did catch a break as Brent Barry – Seattle’s 2nd best and very underrated player – sat out with injury. Kobe took full advantage.

Jan 15th AT New Orleans (16-8 home), tough, quality win for the Lakers as Kobe and Shaq both had to play the entire game to pull this one out.

Jan 29th AT Phoenix (19-4 home), Lakers caught a break as Phoenix had just returned on the 28th from a 7 day 5 game road trip. Also caught a break from Amare Stoudemire, their rookie sensation, having his worst game, going 1-12.

Jan 31st AT Sacramento (19-4 home), Caught a bunch of breaks as Sacramento was playing in a back to back (30th was AT Seattle) when the Lakers had a day rest, Kings short on big men, with Webber, Pollard and Funderburke all out with injuries on top of Bobby Jackson and other players playing who would be resting injuries if not for the others.

Feb 1st vs Utah (11-13 road), Both teams were on a back to back. Lakers caught a break as Matt Harpring sat out.

[Jamel Irief]

Don't forget that the Pacers will be without Coach Thomas as well. Also their Cougar Mascot thing twisted his knee.

And when they won the title Peja was out for 5 games.

They year before D. Anderson was out for two games.

In 2000 they beat a Suns team that was missing Rex Chapman.

Really this Laker team is a big fluke and has been getting some lucky breaks.

[JGKoblenz]

Originally posted by Jemel Irief!
Don't forget that the Pacers will be without Coach Thomas as well. Also their Cougar Mascot thing twisted his knee.

Poor Boomer.

[Arclite]

Originally posted by Jemel Irief!
Don't forget that the Pacers will be without Coach Thomas as well. Also their Cougar Mascot thing twisted his knee.

And when they won the title Peja was out for 5 games.

They year before D. Anderson was out for two games.

In 2000 they beat a Suns team that was missing Rex Chapman.

Really this Laker team is a big fluke and has been getting some lucky breaks.

God forbid I should question the validity of recent success amidst all the Laker talk lately. And it is questionable.

No need to be so defensive.

[Jamel Irief]

No go ahead. If you really believe that the Lakers are only capable of winning games where key players are out than I won't try to dissuade you.

[Austin Kent]

Peopel will always ***** about the Lakers because they are the champions...people want to see them lose...Then throw into the mix that Kobe is but 24 years old and will only get better and they get even more pissed off...