Lakers Desperately Need To Keep Win Streak Going
Dec 18, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike D
The recent form of that other hoops team in Los Angeles has sparked conversation regarding the best win streaks in sports history here in the City of Angels. Sitting at the untouchable peak of that pyramid is John Wooden’s unreal 88-game unbeaten streak during his dominating tenure at UCLA. But that’s college ball. We’re talking pro hoops here.
When it comes to the best unbeaten run in NBA history the team in Los Angeles holds that mark with an equally unreal 33 straight without tasting defeat.
But since we live in the here and now it’s that other L.A. hoops squad that is currently setting the city’s standard.
Another win will give the Clippers (there…I said their name) a franchise best 12th consecutive victory. For the struggling Lake Show another win will give them a season best four straight. Do a quick check of the standings and you’ll see the Clippers a solid 7 games in front of the Lakers. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find the Lakers a good two and half games out of playoff contention all together.
Something has got to change and in a hurry for the Lakers. Never mind how the Clippers have already lapped them this season. It’s looking like the city of L.A. will officially be Clipper territory for the 2012-13 season. Catching their Staples Center counterparts cannot be a goal for these Lakers.
Instead Mike D’Antoni has to get his team dialed in on getting wins in bunches just to try and earn a respectable seed in the playoff hierarchy. In other words the Lakers need to copy the Clippers and get on a roll.
With three straight wins over some less than impressive competition the Lakers get a chance to show they are indeed on a roll. Taking on the massively improved Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks in the coming days will determine just where exactly this team stands.
We’ve seen some improvements but the Lakers’ play is still leaving much to be desired. Falling behind by 18 to the Charlotte Bobcats in Staples isn’t something a championship team does.
In fact, if the Lakers have any designs on actually competing for a title then they’ll need to flex those muscles very soon. At this rate the Lakers are going to be struggling just to get above .500. So getting to the level of being a title contender is going to take a lot of heavy lifting. That kind of lifting that is better served if it’s done now instead of later.
Just imagine what a 10 game tear would do for this team. If the Lakers can get to the All-Star break being 8 games above .500 then this slow start will be in the rearview. A continuance of this wretched play will put the season in jeopardy and title talks on ice by February.