Following the release of the 2013-14 NBA schedule, the Los Angeles Lakers received a bit of a backlash for having more nationally televised games than the two-time defending NBA champions, the Miami Heat.
The Lakers will be featured in 29 nationally televised games after losing Dwight Howard to the Houston Rockets in free agency and with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the immediate future for Kobe Bryant. Although it won’t be difficult to see the Lakers on television next season, the storied NBA franchise will likely be in for one of the toughest seasons in recent years.
Not only is Kobe’s recovery timetable from Achilles surgery uncertain moving forward, but the schedule is brutal to say the least for this aging team. The Lakers will be tested right out of the gate next season with the team set to face the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs in the first three games of the season.
Along with a rough start to the season, the aging Lakers also have a few brutal stretches during the season including playing the Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder (twice) and San Antonio Spurs (twice) in six games.
Perhaps the roughest stretch for the Lakers will be to finish out the season. In the final six games, the Lakers will take on the Clippers, Houston Rockets, Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Utah Jazz and Spurs.
If the Lakers are battling to clinch a playoff spot late in the year as they were last season, these final six games may turn out to be costly.
Lakers Nation News
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Lakers News: Pau Gasol Faces His Younger Brother Marc November 15
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Lakers Schedule: Top 10 Must See Games Of The 2013-14 Season
Lakers Schedule: 2013-14 Schedule Breakdown
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Revenge Game Against Atlanta On November 3
Lakers News: Metta World Peace To Return To LA With Knicks March 25
Lakers News: Chris Kaman To Return To Dallas November 5
Lakers News: Andrew Bynum, Earl Clark Return To LA January 14
Mark Madsen Says He “Was A Better Player” Because Of Kobe Bryant
VIDEO: Kobe Goes In-Depth About His Innovative Achilles Surgery
Lakers News
Lakers Open Regular Season Against Clippers [LA Times]
Mitch Kupchak Says Lakers Won’t Throw In The Towel Next Season [LA Times]
Lakers, Miami Heat Likely To Play On Christmas [LA Times]
Phoenix Suns Purchase ‘Beat.la’ Domain Name [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant Says He ‘Shattered’ Achilles Recovery Timetable [LA Times]
Report: Pau Gasol Ready To Assume Leadership Role [OC Register]
Lakers Still Dominate National Television [Silver Screen & Roll]
MDA Says Howard’s Future Altered Decisions [Silver Screen & Roll]
The Dark World [Forum Blue & Gold]
NBA News
NBA Releases 2013-14 Schedule [SB Nation]
10 Must-See Games Next Season [SB Nation]
Mo Williams To Sign With Portland, Per Reports [SB Nation]
Shabazz Kicked Out Of Rookie Transition Program [SB Nation]
The Complete National TV Schedule [SB Nation]
Toughest Guy Joe Dumars Guarded Not Named Jordan? Reggie Lewis [Pro Basketball Talk]
David Lee Says Warriors Not Trying To Trade Him [Pro Basketball Talk]
Don’t Say “Tanking,” Bucks Says They Are Going “Younger” [Pro Basketball Talk]
Heat Focused On Oden’s Rehab, Then Will Think Basketball [Pro Basketball Talk]
