The Los Angeles Lakers are only 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot and are 5-3 in the month of February, so all is not lost just yet. However, it won't be an easy road to the playoffs for one of the NBA's most storied franchises. The Lakers won't turn into a title contender the second April rolls around and can hardly stay consistent from game to game.
The Lakers have four losing streaks of at least three games, including a six-game stretch to start the 2013 calendar year. The team also has four winning streaks of at least three games, with the highest being a five-gamer from December 14 through Christmas.
All three losses this month for LA have been double-digit affairs, and in each one, the opponent scored 100-plus points. In typical talented but sub-.500 team fashion, the Lakers tend to lose big and also lose close games. Their 12-21 record in games decided by 10 points or fewer is not the type of mark that will prop a team up in a best-of-seven series.
Despite working under two different coaches with completely different styles, the team has struggled to find its identity, despite one of the most prolific rosters in the league. The team's big three of Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash are all destined for the Hall of Fame one day, but you'd never know if from their team play this season. Last night's 24-point loss to the Clippers shows just how much the Lakers have to improve to not be seen as the "other team" in LA.
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