The Lakers lost last night, ending a three-game winning streak that had many fans hopeful for the rest of the season. Although they aren’t out of the playoff race, each loss puts L.A. further and further from the Jazz and Rockets. With both teams performing well, the Lakers simply can’t keep losing. At this point, the Lakers are three games behind in the loss column to the eight seeded Houston Rockets.
Last night the refs got technical happy a Metta started off the trend early in the 1st quarter when complaining to a ref about a foul. The Lakers also got a T when they got called for illegal defense, followed by the Nuggets coach picking one up as well. Kobe ended the game with 29 points and Dwight had an impressive 14 rebounds.
In the end, the defense, per usual, was the reason the Lakers lost. In the first half, the team had 12 turnovers, and ended up with 15 overall. The free throw line was also an issue, as the Lakers only made 14-31. Dwight Howard only shot 3-14.
Some bad news for this L.A team; there is a chance that star forward Pau Gasol will be out of the lineup for the remainder of the regular season. Gasol suffered his foot injury on February 5 when the team was in Brooklyn playing the Nets. The injury is taking longer to heal than thought, which puts Gasol’s time of return in the playoffs if the Lakers make the 8th seed.
If you couldn’t watch the game last night, don’t worry, we have got highlights. Check out the video clips compiled by Lakers Nation in one easy place.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Has Technical Foul Rescinded
Lakers News: Pau Gasol Could be Sidelined for the Regular Season
Jim Buss Helping, Not Hurting The Lakers As Team Moves Forward
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Says 14th Technical Will Be Rescinded
Video: Dwight Howard Forgets How To Hustle vs. Denver Nuggets
Lakers Get Their Three-Game Winning Streak Snapped by Nuggets
Lakers News: Team Discusses Poor Transition Defense Against Denver
Lakers News
Playoffs? Lakers Face Long Odds [Silver Screen and Roll]
NBA Rescinds Kobe’s Technical Foul [Silver Screen and Roll]
Backstage With the Lakers in Dallas [Silver Screen and Roll]
Lakers Lose in Denver, Final Score 119-108 [Silver Screen and Roll]
Gasol Off Crutches, Nash’s Back is Getting Better [Silver Screen and Roll]
Dwight Howard’s Free Throw Shooting [LA Times]
As Expected, NBA Rescinds Foul on Kobe [OC Register]
Dwight Howard’s Free-Throw Production Goes Amiss [latimes.com]
What Are the Odds the Lakers Catch the Jazz, Make Playoffs? [ProBasketballTalk]
Will the Lakers Catch the Jazz or Rockets in the NBA Playoff Race? [SB Nation]
Lakers vs. Nuggets: Game Plan Gone Awry [Forum Blue and Gold]
Lakers Accept the Play It Must Be [ESPN]
Lakers: Week 18 Predictions [latimes.com]
Denver Makes Lakers Look Old, Slow [OC Register]
D-Fenders Acquire Center Jerome Jordan [latimes.com]
A Few Examples of Horrible L.A. Lakers Transition Defense [SB Nation]
League Rescinds Kobe’s Monday Technical, Now Three Away From Suspension [ProBasketballTalk]
NBA News
Rodman Being Basketball Ambassador to North Korea Barely Makes His Craziest Top 10 [ProBasketballTalk]
The Week in Worst: Sometimes You Just Shouldn’t Try to Slam that Dunk [SB Nation]
Celtics at Jazz – February 25, 2013 – Game Preview [NBA.com]
Budinger Cleared for Agility Drills – Yahoo! SportsDaily Dime [ESPN]
Spurs, Heat Begin to Separate Themselves [SB Nation]
Fisher Doesn’t Plan to Retire [ProBasketballTalk]
Knicks Need to Give Amar’e Stoudemire Bigger Role For Title Chase [Yahoo! Sports]
D-Will Says He’ll Be Ready Tuesday [ESPN New York]
Krzyzewski Reiterates He is Done as Team USA Coach [ProBasketballTalk]
LeBron To Cleveland? It Has Begun! [Hang Time Blog]
Dennis Rodman Worms His Way Into North Korea [Yahoo! Sports]
Hawks at Pistons – February 25, 2013 – Game Preview [NBA.com]
Tony Parker Will Return Wednesday [ProBasketballTalk]
Still the Truth: Paul Pierec [Celtics Blog]
Carmelo Anthony of New York Knicks Won’t Be Suspended for Hawes, Source Says [ESPN New York]
Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors Make Harlem Shake Video. We Bring It To You Anyway [ProBasketballTalk]