Comparing the Cavaliers and Lakers

[Dash]

Cavaliers

Elite 8: 5-3

Teams above .500: 13-8

Against West: 15-5

Against East: 18-6

Games decided by 10 points or less: 17-10

 

Lakers

 

Elite 8: 3-5

Teams above .500: 16-9

Against West: 20-8

Against East: 10-2

Games decided by 10 points or less: 15-4

 

The Lakers have a slightly better record than the Cavaliers against winning teams in the league. Strangely enough though, the Cavs have the Lakers clearly beat in games against the elite teams. On the other hand the Lakers have only been in 19 close games while the Cavaliers have been in 27 of 44 games. In those games LA wins 78.9% while Cleveland wins nearly 63% of the time, which isn't very good by elite standards. Considering these statistics it seems that LA does an incredible job by not allowing opponents to get too close and when they do, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers finish those games.

Edited January 22, 2010 by Dash

[Real Deal]

Good post. And this is with Bryant practically gimped for half the season, and Gasol missing 17 games so far.

[Cleveland's Finest]

Include the fact that the Lakers have played I think about 8 more home games and 9 less road games around.

Edited January 22, 2010 by Cleveland's Finest

[Check my Stats]

I think the Lakers schedule has benefited them greatly so far (in terms of record). But I also think Gasol and Kobe being banged up, especially Kobe, is stopping them from being completely dominant, at least to the point they were last year.

 

I think the biggest, and most important difference, is that LeBron is the better player between these two guys right now.... Kobe needs to rest, because he is either in a terrible slump, or he is just too hurt to be as productive as he needs to be for them to be successful.

 

Lakers are 8-5 this month, and Kobe is playing horrible. They need him to get healthy or you have to seriously begin to question whether or not they can come out of the West, nevermind if they can take out the Cavaliers or whoever out East makes it.

 

This is also the time where Kobe needs to show his development as a player, he is struggling but he continues to hoist up shots. He needs to show he trusts Gasol, that he trusts Bynum, that he trusts those guys can carry the load offensively, because right now, it is clear that he cannot.

 

I am not watching tonight's game, but looking at the box score it looks exactly like Kobe is taking a back seat only taking 2 shots with 5 assists as well. They need Bynum and Gasol to step up now more than ever.