The Los Angeles Lakers swept their five-game homestand, although their play at Staples Center continues to differ from dominant performances that have commonly been seen from them on the road this season.
L.A. improved to a 9-5 record in their home arena, but the defending NBA champions seemingly ground those victories out. During their latest stretch at Staples Center, the Lakers played three straight overtime games against opponents from the bottom of the standings in each conference: the Detroit Pistons and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The absence of Lakers fans could be one of the reasons behind the team’s mysterious toil at home.