One Year Left to Play

In the final days of November, the Lakers have 3 games left. Although the schedule this month is tight, the opponents for these remaining games are relatively weak.

Initially, these matches were not on the list of those hyped by the media or followed by fans.

However, the attention is now up!

In recent days, after every Lakers game, there has been a flurry of discussion.

On November 26 and 27, it’s another away back-to-back.

On the 26th, the Lakers easily defeated the Kings 100 to 85.

In this game, the Lakers’ single-game rebounding numbers once again broke 60, with 41 defensive rebounds and 20 offensive rebounds, 12 of which were snatched by O’Neal alone.

With 15 shots, 9 made, and 4 out of 8 free throws, O’Neal played 33 minutes and scored 22 points and 20 rebounds. Zhang Hao had 20 shots, 11 made, including 3 out of 7 three-point shots and 11 out of 13 free throws, scoring 36 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block, along with Kenny Anderson’s 12 points and 11 assists, and Jason Williams’ 8 points and 14 rebounds, allowing the Lakers to comfortably secure the win.

O’Neal, who grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, attempted a total of 18 shots considering those fouled during attempts, thereby causing another stir.

On the 27th, in the Lakers’ back-to-back away game against the Phoenix Suns, O’Neal played 40 minutes and achieved 26 points, 28 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 blocks, matching his career-high rebounding performance during his second-year game against the Brooklyn Nets. His 20+20+5 stats were also a career first, yet with a hefty 16 offensive rebounds, he left the Sun’s interior so intimidated that they allowed successful Lakers’ outside shots without secures positioning, resulting in only 20 successful attempts by O’Neal. With 20 shots, 11 made, and 4 out of 9 free throws, he scored 26 points.

Meanwhile, Zhang Hao played for 31 minutes, attempting 17 times, with 9 made shots, including 3 out of 8 three-pointers, alongside 7 out of 7 free throws, scoring 28 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks.

Contributed by Doug Christie’s 12 points and 2 assists, the Magician’s 7 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists, Jason Williams’ 3 points and 12 rebounds, James Robinson’s 13 points...

The Lakers slaughtered the Suns 108 to 87, securing a three-game winning streak.

On November 29, the Lakers played their 17th game this season, the last game of the first month, arriving for the final game of the three-game away streak against the Bucks in the East.

In this game, O’Neal’s streak of consecutive three double-20 performances ended, as only his defensive rebounds fell short with only 5, but he snatched up 11 offensive rebounds, with 21 shots and 13 made, alongside 3 out of 8 free throws, to score 29 points and 16 rebounds.

The Lakers’ win was not easily achieved as the Bucks’ Glenn Robinson went on a rampage, achieving 30 shots, 19 made, including 2 out of 3 three-pointers, alongside 4 out of 4 free throws, with a spree of 44 points and 6 assists, adding Vin Baker’s 25 points and 8 rebounds, and Ray Allen riding Robinson’s threat to shoot 11 times, 7 made, including 3 out of 5 three-pointers, alongside 2 out of 2 free throws, to score 19 points. The Bucks once led the Lakers by as much as 10 points.

Although O’Neal opted to try out the current playing style, he still had spiteful motivation, focusing only on rebounding and secondary attacks, ignoring other aspects.

Then, under O’Neal’s aggressive offensive rebounding during regular time that kept the situation held, Lakers’ defense improved in the final period, leading to successful attacks, achieving a 31 to 19 score for that period, with a comeback in the final period after trailing 9 points by the end of the third.

Through O’Neal’s 29 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks, Zhang Hao’s 25 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, Kenny Anderson’s 17 points and 8 assists, the Magician’s 12 points and 6 assists, Byron Scott’s 8 points and 2 assists, and Barkley’s 11 points and 10 rebounds, the Lakers reversed the Bucks 127 to 124, achieving a four-game winning streak.

...

With November’s games completed, on November 30, the Lakers returned to Los Angeles, resting for a day, and the second game month arrived.

After the first month, each team had played 14 to 17 games.

Currently, the Bulls are 15 wins and 1 loss, tying with the Utah Jazz as first in the league, while the Hawks are 14 wins and 3 losses, ranking second in the East, with the Pistons at 13 wins and 4 losses, placing third in the East, and the Hornets at 12 wins and 5 losses, placing fourth in the East.

The Heat and the New York Knicks have improved after initial growing pains, with the Heat at 10 wins and 5 losses, ranking fifth in the East, and the New York Knicks at 11 wins and 6 losses, ranking sixth in the East.

The Magic team, missing O’Neal, collapsed, currently at 9 wins and 7 losses, ranking seventh in the East, with Juwan Howard and Weber’s duo finally showing power, equally at 9 wins and 7 losses, ranking eighth in the East.

Having lost multiple role players and facing outstanding performances from other emerging young teams, the once-formidable Cavaliers team has fallen, with an opening of 8 wins and 8 losses, barely maintaining a 50% win rate, holding onto a spot among competing playoff teams.

The Pacers initially thought the loss of Mark Jackson was merely losing a point guard, boasting during media days at training camp their championship ambitions, only now realizing Mark Jackson was the critical factor enabling them to achieve 50 wins over the past two seasons, the core of their rise.

With a 7 wins and 10 losses record, the Pacers can’t even guarantee a 50% win rate anymore.

Nevertheless, these are still acceptable, considering the bottom five teams in the East, with the top win number from the Bucks, at 4 wins and 12 losses, with none achieving over a 25% win rate!

In the West, the Utah Jazz are at 15 wins and 1 loss, ranking first, with the SuperSonics at 13 wins and 3 losses, ranking second, the Lakers at 13 wins and 4 losses, ranking third, the Blazers at 10 wins and 6 losses, ranking fourth, and the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8 wins and 8 losses, ranking fifth.

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