Lakers vs Spurs Preview: Hamster Wheel of Sorrow

Dec 11, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) dribbles against San Antonio Spurs forward Jonathon Simmons (17) at AT&T Center. San Antonio won 109-87. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) dribbles against San Antonio Spurs forward Jonathon Simmons (17) at AT&T Center. San Antonio won 109-87. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

The Lakers welcome the Spurs to STAPLES for a matchup that could get out of hand quickly

The Los Angeles Lakers should be desperately be trying to escape the quagmire that they currently find themselves in. Every game as of late has felt repetitive in terms of remaining competitive for the first half and then getting ultimately blown out coming out of the locker. Unlucky for the Lakers, that’s not a good recipe against their opponents on Friday night in the San Antonio Spurs.

Dumbed down to the maximum, the Lakers are the worst team in the Western Conference and the Spurs may very well be the best or are just behind the Warriors for that honor.

In fact, the Lakers have almost as many losses (35) this season as the Spurs do wins (37) and San Antonio is the No. 2 seed currently in the West. That’s not good for the Lakers. What’s worse for Los Angeles is the fact that they just seem to be showing no progress. The need to shake things up for this team is dire at this point.

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Whether it’s in terms of rotations or in terms of trying to work out some sort of trade before the Feb. 18 deadline, the Lakers have to do something. This is starting to feel like the old adage regarding insanity that says the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That’s Byron Scott continually playing Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson as the starting backcourt and not how he rotates his players in and out of the lineup. It’s like a hamster running on the most sorrowful wheel ever.

We’ll if anything changes on Friday night, but it probably won’t matter if we’re being honest. On the 10th anniversary of Kobe Bryant scoring 81 points in a single game, they’ll be lucky to put that up in a game against San Antonio on Friday.

San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Lakers

Date: Friday, Jan. 22
Start Time: 7:30 p.m. PT
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Arena: STAPLES Center
TV Info: TWC Sportsnet
Live Stream: NBA League Pass
Radio: Here

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Spurs -16
Moneyline: Spurs -4500, Lakers +1700
O/U: 199

Injury Report

Los Angeles Lakers: Larry Nance Jr. (knee)—Out, Brandon Bass (foot)—Probable, Kobe Bryant (shoulder, Achilles)—Probable

San Antonio Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge (back)—Out

Next: Kobe's Best Career Game vs. Each NBA Team

Prediction

This game is going to get out of hand and in a hurry. The Lakers offense has been questionable and the Spurs have the best defense in the league. Meanwhile the Lakers defense offers no resistance to San Antonio’s offense. It’s going to be ugly.

Be sure to check back with Lake Show Life for all your Lakers news, updates, analysis, and more.

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