This is true. Every season the Lakers schedule starts out soft but gets nasty in February. Looks like it's true again this year.
I don't understand your argument either. taking off my Laker hater hat, how does them going 0-3 to start the year on the road and winning their first road game in Utah show any scheduling bias? it is generally known that the Lakers get the loaded home schedule to compensate for the Grammy road trip, but actually even in LA this season everyone is saying that they aren't getting the favorable scheduling like they normally do. after Cleveland they have stretch of 7 games that includes two matchups against the Clippers, MIA, DAL, and ORL. around the league, everyone thinks it's a conspiracy to help the Lakers. for Laker fans, Stern's out to get them . it's crazytown. I must be a glutton for punishment, I pay attention to all the coverage and hate to see them win close games like the one in Utah or Phoenix. but I can't deny Kobe's greatness this season and I am going to keep telling myself that he can't hold the team up all year long like this.
dude they had their first road win of the SEASON last night. This is a fact. and against powerhouse Utah. dispute this FACT. Face it they are gifted every year with a soft schedule. yeah the grammys last a month you apologists are funny/sad... carry on..nothing to see here
I guess this is the designated Laker thread for the year. Bill Simmons interviewed Flea (laker fan). Surprisingly fun interview.
yeah again I'm the last from an apologist but IBTL you simply aren't making any sense. there's nothing to dispute. they won their fourth road game of the season last night. it was their first road win. it was their 12th game for a team that played 10 games in the first 15 nights of the season (14 in 21) yes this is indeed a fact. they are 7-1 at home and 1-3 on the road for an 8-4 record. Chicago has almost the opposite- they have played 8 road games so far and 4 home games but they WON the majority of their road games to give them a 6-2 start out of the gate along with their undeafeted home record. you are arguing the FACT that in an arena that schedules two basketball teams, a pro hockey team, and multiple world tours for global artists, that every year without fail they take about three weeks to setup for the Grammys and all other events are sent on the backburner.
of course that's my reasoning jopat. that was my whole reasoning for why I think the team isn't as good as last year. what achilles, my hatred for the Lakers? they are nothing without Kobe. sheez. I'm a diehard Rockets fan and YES a complete Laker hater. try not to single out every one of my thoughts on this, as you can see I am seeing it from both sides and I was never the one to make a bold prediction twice in two threads in the same week. and I never would have bumped this after a Laker loss anyway this seems to be about you being right in your prediction but I am just a basketball fan living in LA is all...
I don't get it. The best schedule is always a balanced schedule. Not a soft schedule early followed by a tough schedule late. And Lakers are such a veteran team they don't need early high ranking to keep up the morale. Watch how Marathon runners pace their run, they run at about the same speed from start to finish. You are making yourself a joke here.
Your achilles is betting on Kobe going down. That's a bad bet. And remember, I prefaced all my remarks about the Lakers on health. I can't forsee injuries. If Kobe does go down, they won't be trash, but they won't win anything. However, same holds true for the Thunder, Clippers, Blazers, Spurs, Grizzlies, Nuggets, etc. If their key player (s) goes down, they won't make it.
LOL goodbug as usual the Laker apologist. You know what's the best schedule? Something that starts out easy then gets tough in the end, exactly like well designed video games. You want the easy games first, because everyone is just getting into shape, learning the plays, building chemistry etc. Later on you want the tough games, because then you will be battle-tested come playoff time. Not only that playing all the easy games first can make you assess whether to tank and throw the season away or not. If you can't break even against the easy teams then there's no point to going in the playoffs. The entire opposite of this is what the Rockets have, a brutal schedule first then everything gets easy later on. You get a losing record early, team morale goes down because of the losses, the coach starts questioning his own decisions, the fans want to tank etc. Later on you get the easy schedule the fan hopes start building up then bam, first round blowout against the Thunder because the team forgot how good the other teams are in the L.
You are the LeBron apologist, I don't make excuses. This is not a video game that you can save and restore, start 100% fresh next day. If you lose, it's on record and you can't revert it. It's a long season, and for a veteran team that have played together for years (Lakers before this year), they don't need to build chemistry into the season. If it's all for the best record in regular season, a balanced schedule is always the best. You can hope for a split playing 2 contenders b2b on road, 1 each with some home stay in between, odds are much better. People don't work 5 weeks continuously and take 2 weeks off. Only idiots like you would like that.
Kobe is killing it. It's the Tiger Woods effect. When you are out there acting single and banging randoms, you play better.
Not to mention the Los Angeles Kings also play in the same arena, and rink preparation/court preparation is an ordeal. I just realized how insanely busy Staples Center is every single year.
Fail. He played his best golf when he was banging randoms (while married). He went to sex addiction rehab after the fiasco and started playing his worst golf.
so in other words, it's a bad bet to rely on Kobe to go down, but if he does, all bets are off. better teams like the Blazers can sustain injuries-( see the loss of Brandon Roy and Greg Oden) and continue to win as a team. the Lakers obviously cannot do this. my thinking, again, is not to bet on anything. I'm not counting on Kobe going down. I think his wrist injury is media hype at this point 'cuz it is obviously not affecting his game. I am counting on him not being able to rely on 40 point performances to overcome his teammates shortcomings. see last night's loss, but also the close wins against Utah, Phoenix, and Denver. I cannot deny the greatness of Kobe, but I can still see the shortcomings of the Los Angeles Lakers in general.
Kobe doesn't have to go down. As the regular season wears on, we'll find out where the Lakers belong on the totem pole. IMO, that's about 4th/5th place.
