Bobcats are Measuring Stick for Lakers

Forget about the Spurs and their league best 50 wins. Who cares about the Threeatles or whatever they’re called in South Beach? Let’s not even talk about the Boston Geezers. The only true test of how well the Lakers have been playing recently is…the Charlotte Bobcats.

That’s right Laker fans. Watch if you dare. Tomorrow night those impossible to beat Bobcats make an appearance at Staples Center. On the line are a 5-game win streak and a whole lot of Laker pride.

Why can’t the Lakers beat this team? Coaches, players…heck even the ownerships has changed. What hasn’t changed is Charlotte’s ownership of Los Angeles.

Eight of the last ten times these teams have tangled the curtain has gone down on the Lake Show. The last loss was perhaps the worst of all as Charlotte helped usher the Lakers off to their worst L of the season in Cleveland.

Since going into the All-Star break with their heads hanging low, the Lakers have emerged with their chins up. Now comes the pain.

Charlotte fears not the many banners hanging in Staples. Records mean nothing when these two meet. This is a hurdle Phil Jackson can’t seem to clear.

But this time things could be different.

Charlotte recently traded away one of their biggest assets. Gerald Wallace is now in Portland and with that the Bobcats have one less athletic wing player for the Lakers to contend with.

Of course last time around another Gerald (Henderson) did damage in the lopsided loss suffered by Los Angeles. Who will be the Laker killer this time around?

Last night Charlotte suffered a hideous defeat at the hands of the new look Nuggets. Denver put the Bobcats down with a 40-point plastering. There will be plenty of motivation for Charlotte. The question is how much is there in Los Angeles?

So watch only if you dare. This one could be ugly one way or the other. One thing is clear. If you want to know where the Lakers’ motivations lie you’ll tune-in to see them go to battle with the Bobcats. Call it gambler’s fallacy. I’m betting this trend just can’t continue…right?