Lakers vs. Portland: 11 Straight Road Losses?
The Lakers play the Portland Trailblazers on the second night of a back to back.
In their illustrious history, the Los Angeles Lakers have had terrible seasons. Magic Johnson tried coaching, was a colossal failure, his team won 33 games. Rudy Tomjanovich quit a third of the way into the NBA season; the Lakers won 34 games. Then, last year the Mike D’antoni mess netted 27 wins. But never have the Lakers assembled a team that lost eleven games in a row on the road, a team so useless they couldn’t patch together a road victory in over a month and a half of basketball.
This current Lakers group has gone places no other Lakers team has ever gone before.
It’s been 43 days since the Lakers have won a road game. On December 30th they won in Denver thanks to a Kobe Bryant triple double, a Carlos Boozer near double-double, and 31 assists. It gave the Lakers their 10th win of the season. Since then, the Lakers have won 3 measly games, none on the road, two against bottom feeders (Orlando, Indiana) and one thrilling double overtime victory against Chicago.
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The Lakers take their futility and misery into Portland which is always a Lakers horror show. Waiting for them in the Pacific Northwest is Damian Lillard who has abused the Lakers singlehandedly this year. His numbers against the Lakers are awe inspiring: 37 points, 55% shooting, 50% from three, 83% free throws, 4.5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers.
His domination has been the difference in the Lakers coming up short. In both games the Lakers had the lead during the fourth quarter until the game turned. Lillard calmly and efficiently shut the door on the Lakers hopes of an upset.
If Tuesday night was any indication of their defensive effort against a good point guard, the Lakers will be ruined in Portland. They showed little interest or ability in stopping Ty Lawson of the Denver Nuggets who had a season high 32 points and 16 assists. In Lillard, the Lakers face a more aggressive, skilled point guard than Lawson. Lillard was just named to his first All-Star team. Lillard has speed, change of direction, accurate perimeter shooting and quickness, all of which the Lakers cannot defend.
Lillard’s greatest asset is his pace. He knows when to let LaMarcus Aldridge dominate the game and when to take over himself. He never rushes, is rarely rattled, and when he is in a shooting slump, as was the case in late January, he can affect the game because of his versatility. As the #6th pick in the 2012 lottery class, he was the steal of the draft. If the draft was re-worked today, using what we know now as a measurement, LIllard would be the #2 pick behind Anthony Davis.
A tired Lakers team will be asked to not make history in a place where they are deeply despised for crushing the 1999-2000 Blazers championship dreams. The absence of Jordan Hill, the mysterious disappearing act of Nick Young, the up and down tutoring class of Jordan Clarkson, the efficiency of Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin whose minutes shrink each and every game, the team’s fatigue on the last day before a 10 day vacation all leads to the obvious conclusion and something Lakers fans will want to forget. A historic record for a team whose only value is what awaits them in the lottery will be made in Portland.
Next: Game Grades: Los Angeles Lakers Out-Lose Denver Nuggets