Bleacher report: Can the Lakers catch the Cleveland Cavaliers?
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No, that is not a misprint. I did not reverse the teams by mistake. Yes, I am aware that the Lakers have the best record in the NBA.
It is the best record as far as actual statistics are concerned. However, in theory at least, the Cavaliers may have the edge at this point.
The Lakers are 32-9. But they have only played 15 away games. Although they were the best team on the road last year, this year they are only 9-6 in road games.
The Cavaliers, on the other hand, are 32-11 but have played only 15 home games. Last season, they had the best home court record in the NBA. The Cavs lost only two home games the entire season.
This year, the Cavs have already lost two home games. But they have 26 home games remaining while the Lakers (23-3 at home) only have 15 more games at home and 26 on the road.
So, in order to stay even with the Cavaliers, the Lakers must do extremely well in their upcoming road trip.
Today the Lakers play the first game of an eight-game road trip in Cleveland. Over that span of eight games in 13 days, the Lakers will need to do better than merely break even.
At the minimum, they need to go 5-3; 6-2 would be preferable. But above all, they must win that first game. Remember, the Cavs beat the Lakers at Staples Center back on Christmas Day by 15 points.
Should the Cavs win tonight, they will have home-court advantage over the Lakers in the playoffs if both teams end the regular season with identical records.
It has been no secret that Kobe Bryant’s broken index finger is hampering him. His point output has fallen off this month as compared with the first two months of the season.
His teammates have picked up the slack over the last few games, but will they continue to do so during this all-important road trip?
-- Paul Peszko, the Bleacher Report