What are the chances the Lakers go 7-0 on this trip? Not bad. Not bad at all.
My column previewing this trip asked the question of whether the Lakers could still gain home-court advantage over Cleveland, but the point in that discussion was that they should still do very well on this trip in part because of the rather light competition.
It will help if Detroit’s Richard Hamilton (groin) can’t make it back to face the Lakers on Thursday and New Jersey’s Devin Harris (shoulder) can’t make it back to face the Lakers on Friday. Hamilton seems pretty iffy and Harris seems doubtful, and both teams run their offenses through those guys these days.
The Lakers didn’t really hold a formal practice Sunday in Chicago but will reconvene Monday afternoon in Oklahoma City. They’ll have a big experience edge on the improved Thunder before the back-to-back in Detroit and New Jersey.
Then there’s the toughest game on the trip in every logical way: Atlanta on Sunday. The Hawks have talent and a track record of home success, but I just don’t think they are well coached or very tough inside and I expect Kobe Bryant to have a big game against Joe Johnson. (Atlanta’s starting small forward Marvin Williams is also out with a bad back, and ex-Laker Maurice Evans has been starting in his place.)
If the Lakers can survive to that point, all that’s left is a final back-to-back set with Charlotte and Milwaukee, two teams currently standing outside the Eastern Conference playoff picture (as is New Jersey, by the way). The Lakers will have major motivation to beat Charlotte (the Bobcats have won five of the past six from the Lakers, including that double-overtimer this season at Staples Center just before the Lakers left for their 6-0 trip). And Milwaukee has neither Michael Redd (knee) nor Andrew Bogut (back).
