AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – They want Kobe Bryant to rage into the ruins, traffic tantrums and tirades over this lost cause. Just wait, everyone says. Just watch the fury unleash and watch Bryant burn down this franchise. They think that'll be the end of his story, the end of his Lakers life.
Only Bryant refuses to give himself the easy way out of the season, the easy way out of a franchise player's burden. He hates losing, but he doesn't hate this season and he doesn't hate this team. Another Lakers victory at the Palace on Tuesday, a victory in which his teammates covered for his flu.
"The idea of me having no patience is misunderstood," Bryant told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday night. "I don't have patience when we're not putting the work in, if I see that we're not doing our job as professionals. If that's happening, I'll let my team know about...
Los Angeles Lakers (4-13)
at
Detroit Pistons (3-14)
4:30 PM Pacific
Fresh off a victory over the Toronto Raptors the Lakers look to continue their strong play against Eastern Conference teams. The Lakers have won all three of their contests against the East. Meanwhile they are 1-13 vs. the West. The Lakers have a solid chance at a win tonight when they square off against the floundering Detroit Pistons.
In two head-to-head wins last season the Lakers outscored the Pistons by a total of 21 points. The Lakers were led by Wes Johnson's 20.0 points and 2.5 blocks per game. Nick Young added 15.5 points off the bench as the Lakers connected on threes at a ridiculous rate.
The Pistons received a balanced effort from Josh Smith (13.5/13.5), Greg Monroe (18.0, 7.5), and Andre Drummond (13.5, 12.0), but Brandon Jennings led the way with 21.0 points and 11.5 assists. In fact, so well balanced was the Pistons' effort that it was perhaps only the 24 threes (12.0 per game) the Lakers...
'Ed Davis is the only speedy dude among the Lakers’ four rotation big men, but Byron Scott has these guys venturing out near the 3-point arc in a failed effort to contain pick-and-rolls. Good luck, Bob Sacre!
Carlos Boozer, Sacre, and Jordan Hill just aren’t capable of this; the Lakers’ league-worst defense would probably be better off if Scott adopted a more conservative style. Hill’s rim protection has been halfhearted, and the team’s starting lineup is getting absolutely torched.'
It seems as though Byron and the coaching staff are adjusting too this problem, though even it's a very slow adjustment.
Toronoto Raptors (13-3)
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Los Angeles Lakers (3-13)
6:30 PM Pacific
The Lakers and Raptors have for the most part experienced extremely different seasons. After losing four straight, Los Angeles is back into the thick of a battle for the best draft pick. The Raptors have been battling for home court advantage in the playoffs. They will have to continue that quest without their leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan, at least for the foreseeable future. DeRozan is out indefinitely with a torn tendon in his groin.
The teams split the series last season, with the Raptors winning the first 106-94 and the Lakers taking the next one 112-106. Even factoring out DeRozan's offensive production, the Raptors have plenty of firepower against the Lakers. In the two meetings between the teams last season Kyle Lowry averaged 22 points and 8.5 assists and out of nowhere Amir Johnson averaged 22.5 points and 9 rebounds.
Playing with an ineffective Kobe Bryant who was...
