:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27857321/20140131_gav_sv5_013.0.jpg)
The Los Angeles Lakers aren't quite at the bottom, but the team is just one run above the Sacramento Kings after a 110-100 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Rule of thumb, don't let a player go off for his career-high, like they did with Al Jefferson. He went off for 40 points and 18 rebounds.
This wasn't uncharted territory for the Lakers, either. They've been giving up career-high and season-high point totals throughout the season. That it was against the Bobcats makes it just another statistic among many.
No Steve Nash. No Jordan Farmar. No Steve Blake. No Kobe Bryant. No Xavier Henry. No rest for this cursed Lakers squad. They lost. This is the team's third six-game losing streak of the season and there's no reason to believe that these open wounds will be sewed up any time soon. All those early season positive vibes feel like an eternity ago.
To keep things interesting, the team will now head out on a three-game road trip. They'll be visiting Minnesota, Cleveland and Philadelphia and play three games over four days with the first game against the Timberwolves on Feb. 4. These are three winnable games -- all three teams are dawdling in one way or another -- but whether the Lakers can muster enough strength on the road after a brief pit stop in Los Angeles or not remains to be seen.
Don't go into this span expecting to roll over Kevin Love, Kyrie Irving and a Sixers team at the end of another trip around the United States.
Let's talk about these losing streaks, though. This season has featured three six-game womp-womp streaks. They did this once last season at the start of 2013. Prior to these two frustrating years they hadn't seen a six-game "L" streak since the 2007 season. How about looking ahead?
The last time a Lakers team was on a seven-game losing streak was in 2007. It's only happened four times in franchise history. Eight games? It's happened three times, last occurring in 2005. The team has never ended on a nine-game streak, but the all-time franchise low losing streak is 10 games. The 1994-1995 Lakers "accomplished" this.
With a three-game road trip ahead and a game against the grind-it-out Chicago Bulls when they return, the team could flirt with the all-time losing streak, especially if Pau Gasol misses time with a groin injury. Gasol is considered questionable for the three-gamer, which could be a huge blow to the purple and gold's chances to stay away from all-time-terrible status.
Injuries and fringe players. Either a recipe for sad streaks or a chance for a high-tier draft pick. Is your glass half full or half empty?
