1516schedule

Joey Ramirez

RELATED: October/November | December | January | February | April

After spending the majority of the schedule’s first half on the road, the Lakers get to stay home for nearly the entirety of March. Twelve of the month’s 15 games are at STAPLES Center, and none of the remaining three take place any farther than Denver.

After that trip to Colorado on March 2, the Lakers begin their longest homestand of the season — an eight game, 20-day stretch that lasts all the way to the 23rd.

March also doubles as the relatively easiest month for the Lakers, who face only six playoff teams from last year, including zero on the road.

However, there are still strong teams highlighting the slate, including Golden State, Cleveland and Atlanta — three of 2015’s four conference finalists.

March
Games: 15
Home: 12
Away: 3
Playoff Opponents: 6
National TV Games: 4
Home Opponents: Brooklyn, Atlanta, Golden State, Orlando, Cleveland, New York, Sacramento, Phoenix, Memphis, Denver, Washington, Miami
Road Destinations: Denver, Phoenix, Utah

Key MatchupsMarch 13 vs. New York (6:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher pay the Lakers their only visit of the season, as the Knicks face off against Kobe Bryant for possibly the final time. All three were members of L.A.'s last five championship teams, and Bryant may join Fisher in retirement at the end of the season.

March 25 vs. Denver (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay are scheduled to go head-to-head for the fourth and final time in a battle of the top two point guards of the 2015 Draft. As Russell (2) and Mudiay (7) were the only one-guards picked among the draft’s top 10, this matchup could determine the opening chapter of a potential rivalry — as well as standing in the Rookie of the Year race.

March 27 vs. Washington (6:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)Jordan Clarkson has spoken in the past about how he uses his low selection in the 2014 draft as motivation. That added incentive might just come into play against Washington, the team that traded him to the Lakers on draft day. In his only game against the Wizards last year on Jan. 27, Clarkson scored a then career-high 18 points in only his third NBA start.

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Schedule Breakdown: March

RELATED: October/November | December | January | March | April

Though the Lakers play only 10 games in February, the second month of 2016 features a challenging slate, as eight of their opponents reached the playoffs last year, including Cleveland, the Eastern Conference champion.

While the middle of the month features seven road tilts in an eight-game span, the Lakers get to enjoy an eight-day recess at February’s midpoint for the All-Star Break.

Several Lakers aspire to play in the All-Star Game for the first time in their careers, but two are aiming to make their way back to the event, which will be held in Toronto this season.

Kobe Bryant looks to notch his 18th all-star selection in his 20th season, which would also double as his 17th consecutive election to the game. Meanwhile, Roy Hibbert hopes to be picked for the third time after last making it two seasons ago.

February
Games: 10
Home: 3
Away: 7
Playoff Opponents: 8
National TV Games: 4
Home Opponents: Minnesota, San Antonio, Memphis
Road Destinations: New Orleans, San Antonio, Indiana, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Memphis

Key MatchupsFeb. 8 at Indiana (4 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
After seven seasons of anchoring the Pacers’ defense, Hibbert will make his first return to Indiana since joining the Lakers. The 28-year-old left with the fourth-most blocks in franchise history (990), as well as the highest block percentage (5.4).

Feb. 10 at Cleveland (5 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes and ESPN)
Each of the past nine NBA Finals have featured either Bryant or LeBron James, so it is always a special contest whenever the two go at it. In the pair’s last meeting on Jan. 15, James exploded for 36 points, while Bryant countered with 19 points and 17 assists — the latter of which were the most in his 19-year career.

Feb. 19 vs. San Antonio (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
Arguably the two greatest players of their generation, Bryant and Tim Duncan could be meeting for the final time if the former decides to retire after this season. Duncan currently has a 28-21 head-to-head advantage in regular-season play, but Bryant holds the upper hand in the playoffs (18-12).

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Schedule Breakdown: February

RELATED: October/November | December | February | March | April

After playing on the road in 22 of their first 33 games, the Lakers will finally get to enjoy consistent home-court advantage in January. Thirteen of The Lakers’ 17 contests that month take place at STAPLES Center, including one “road” match with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The purple and gold will look to take advantage of this scheduling quirk, especially considering the absurdly talented rogues gallery that will be paying the Lakers a visit.

Twelve of the 15 players named to one of the three All-NBA teams last season will face the Lakers at STAPLES Center in January.

First Team All-NBA
Stephen Curry: Jan. 5
James Harden: Jan. 17
Anthony Davis: Jan. 12
LeBron James: N/A
Marc Gasol: N/A

Second Team All-NBA
Chris Paul: Jan. 29
Russell Westbrook: Jan. 8
LaMarcus Aldridge: Jan. 22
Pau Gasol: Jan. 28
DeMarcus Cousins: Jan. 20

Third Team All-NBA
Klay Thompson: Jan. 5
Blake Griffin: Jan. 29
Tim Duncan: Jan. 20
DeAndre Jordan: Jan. 29
Kyrie Irving: N/A

January
Games: 17
Home: 12
Away: 5
Playoff Opponents: 9
National TV Games: 4
Home Opponents: Philadelphia, Phoenix, Golden State, Oklahoma City, Utah, New Orleans, Houston, Sacramento, San Antonio, Dallas, Chicago, Charlotte
Road Destinations: Sacramento, Golden State, Utah, Portland, Clippers

Key MatchupsJan. 12 vs. New Orleans (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
Just three years into his career, Anthony Davis already has two all-star nods, one gold medal and a selection to last year’s All-NBA First Team. The 22-year-old led the NBA in player efficiency rating last season (30.8) and visits the Lakers only once in 2015-16.

Jan. 17 vs. Houston (6:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
From 2006 to 2013, Kobe Bryant was named First Team All-NBA for eight straight seasons. But with injuries hampering the 17-time all-star over the past two years, James Harden has assumed that position with back-to-back First Team nods and a runner-up finish in last season’s MVP voting. In addition to this duel between shooting guards, one-time Laker Dwight Howard will be back in L.A., which always provokes a, well, "spirited" response from the home crowd.

Jan. 28 vs. Chicago (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
In more than six seasons together, Bryant and Pau Gasol teamed up to lead L.A. to its 15th and 16th NBA championships in franchise history. However, in January the two former teammates are slated to face each other for the first time since January 2008. Bryant was injured for both of the Lakers’ meeting with the Bulls last year, but Gasol reached at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in each one.

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Schedule Breakdown: January

RELATED: October/November | January | February | March | April

The Lakers will be frequent flyers in 2015’s final month, as 13 of their 17 games take place away from STAPLES Center. In fact, seven of these are located within the Eastern Time Zone, and none are closer to Los Angeles than Denver.

L.A. begins the month with its longest road trip of the season — a 12-day, eight-game excursion that starts on the East Coast (Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta) before heading a bit westward (Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota) and finishing in Texas (San Antonio, Houston).

In addition to the miles put on the road, L.A.’s opponents themselves also make December an especially challenging month. Ten of the Lakers’ 17 foes made the playoffs last season, including the Houston Rockets, whom they will be facing twice. The non-postseason matchups also feature some firepower, especially a pair of contests with Oklahoma City.

December
Games: 17
Home: 4
Away: 13
Playoff Opponents: 10
National TV Games: 3
Home Opponents: Milwaukee, Houston, Oklahoma City, Clippers
Road Destinations: Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Detroit, Toronto, Minnesota, San Antonio, Houston, Oklahoma City, Denver, Memphis, Charlotte, Boston

Key MatchupsDec. 1 at Philadelphia (4 p.m..; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
It’s a battle between two of the top picks of the 2015 NBA Draft, as second overall D’Angelo Russell faces off against No. 3 Jahlil Okafor and the 76ers. In addition to this battle between First Team All-Americans, the game could also provide special circumstances for Kobe Bryant, who will decide whether or not to retire after the season. Should the 17-time all-star choose to hang it up, this will be his last game in his hometown of Philadelphia.

Dec. 25 vs. Clippers (7:30 p.m.; ESPN and Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
The Lakers look to cap of Christmas night by taking down STAPLES Center’s other tenant. This will be the Lakers’ 16th straight year playing on the holiday, which always provides an intriguing matchup. Having spent the last three holidays facing off against the likes of Pau Gasol, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, Bryant and co. will now get a crack at Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

Dec. 30 at Boston (4:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet/Deportes)
The Lakers finish off 2015 by visiting the rival Celtics in what may be another landmark game for Bryant. After two NBA Finals duels and plenty of highlights, Bryant’s 17th trip to Beantown could be the final one. Plus, Brandon Bass will play the role of homecoming king, as he spent the last four years playing for Boston.

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Schedule Breakdown: December

The Lakers’ 2015-16 schedule is out and full of intriguing matchup across the 82-game slate. However, five of these tilts provide a bit more spark than the others. Below are the top contests to catch this season.

Oct. 28 vs. Minnesota (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet and ESPN)
The season opener is a can’t-miss event every year, but this time it’s even more special, as the No. 1 pick of the NBA Draft, Karl-Anthony Towns, visits second overall pick D’Angelo Russell and the Lakers. While this new rivalry begins, another will pick up in its 20th season with Kevin Garnett taking on Kobe Bryant for the 50th time in the regular season and 76th time overall. Plus, Julius Randle will compete in his first regular-season game since fracturing his tibia in last year’s opener.

Nov. 24 at Golden State (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
Bryant has dominated the Warriors throughout his career, averaging 27.9 points in 64 games — his most against any opponent. Though he is 54-10 in his career against Golden State, this edition will provide a much tougher challenge, as the defending champs return MVP Stephen Curry, Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and Third Team All-NBA selection Klay Thompson.

Dec. 25 vs. Clippers (7:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet and ESPN)
The season’s first “Battle for Los Angeles” will be a festive one, as the STAPLES Center co-tenants cap off Christmas night with a clash. The Lakers will look to snap a seven-game slide against their intracity foes, who have added one of Bryant’s longtime rivals, Paul Pierce. Currently, Bryant holds a 20-17 head-to-head lead over the new Clipper.

Dec. 30 at Boston (4:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet)
Bryant plans to decide whether he will retire after the season is over, meaning that this meeting with the Celtics could be his final game in Boston. Bryant has gone 10-12 on the Celtics’ parquet floor, which has been the setting for some memorable performances, including two 43-point outings and his 29-point burst in Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals. The game will also serve as a homecoming for new Laker Brandon Bass, who spent the last four years in Boston.

March 13 vs. New York (6:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet)
A host of former Lakers make their only trip to play the Lakers at STAPLES Center, as Phil Jackson, Derek Fisher, Kurt Rambis, Jim Cleamons and Rasheed Hazzard highlight New York’s current front office and coaching staff. Together, the quintet has 21 championship rings from their days playing (Fisher, Rambis, Cleamons) and coaching (Jackson, Rambis, Cleamons) for the Lakers.

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Lakers Schedule: 5 Must-See Matchups

RELATED: December | January | February | March | April

Trotting out a relatively young roster featuring rookies and sophomores like D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle, the Lakers will have plenty of time to mesh together on the road in the beginning of the season.

The Lakers’ schedule, which was released on Wednesday, features six road games in L.A.’s first nine contests — including a five-game, eight-day trip from Nov. 6-13. Fortunately for the Lakers, head coach Byron Scott believes that long road trips are benefits that allow teammates to get to know each other and come together.

Another positive for L.A. is the lack of elite teams on its early schedule. Of the Lakers’ first 11 opponents, only two were playoff teams — Dallas (who they face twice in this span) and Brooklyn. Likewise, across 16 games in October and November, the Lakers play only seven games against five postseason teams. Aside from reigning champion Golden State, these foes managed a combined four playoff wins.

October/November
Games: 16
Home: 7
Away: 9
Playoff Opponents: 7
National TV Games: 2
Home Opponents: Minnesota, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Toronto, Portland, Indiana
Road Destinations: Sacramento, Brooklyn, New York, Miami, Orlando, Dallas, Phoenix, Golden State, Portland

Oct. 28 vs. Minnesota (7:30 p.m.; ESPN and Time Warner Cable SportsNet)
The 2015-16 season tips off with a matchup between the top two picks of the NBA Draft. Russell and the purple and gold will face off against the Timberwolves and center Karl-Anthony Towns. In addition to this duel between First- (Russell) and Second-Team All-Americans, the opener also features a clash between veteran legends, as Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett meet for the 76th time in their careers.

Nov. 8 at New York (12:30 p.m.; Time Warner Cable SportsNet)
Playing in Madison Square Garden is always special, but this trip could be even more so considering that it may be Bryant’s final game at the legendary arena. Bryant, who will consider retiring after this season, has scored at least 30 points in nine of his 15 career trips to New York City — including a then-stadium record 61-point performance on Feb. 2, 2009. This year’s battle is also set to be Bryant’s first against former coach Phil Jackson and longtime teammate Derek Fisher.

Nov. 24 at Golden State (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
The Lakers get their first look at the defending champions with a trip to Oakland toward the end of the month. Reigning MVP Stephen Curry and the Warriors beat L.A. by at least 20 in last season’s first two tilts, but the Lakers cruised to victory on Dec. 23 and fell by three on March 16.

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Schedule Breakdown: October/November

Mike Trudell

Your 2015-16 Lakers schedule is out, and if you’re like me, this means you can plan your life … at least through April. Below is a breakdown of the schedule highlights, lowlights and everything in between:

The latest of Kobe’s nicknames is most applicable to his 20th NBA season, which will be the most any player has played with one team in league history. Kobe has amassed, and cannot damage, one of the 10 best basketball resumes in NBA history. Among his extensive accolades: Five titles (two Finals MVPs); 11 All-NBA first-team appearances; nine All-NBA Defensive teams; 17 All-Star appearances; the league’s third all-time most points*. What more can he realistically add in what could be his final year? Well, despite how it’s been reported as “news” every month or so by a different media outlet, Bryant has said the same thing about when he’ll hang it up for the past few years: This final year of his contract will most likely be his last, but he really won’t know until after this season. Lasting skills remain: impeccable footwork, shooting range all over the court, complete knowledge of every scheme and how to attack it, ability to make plays for others, and so on.* This year also marks the 10-year anniversary of Bryant’s 81-point game, the second-highest total in NBA history.

On the flip side, Bryant’s sheer mileage on the hardwood since 1996 has made it more difficult to play both ends of the floor for entire games, as he did for so many years. He can still find moments of brilliance, but doing it on a nightly basis like younger stars is unrealistic. Understandably so:

ALL TIME NBA REGULAR SEASON + PLAYOFF MINUTES

There’s no way to get around the time that’s accrued over all these years of basketball greatness. Head athletic trainer Gary Vitti – who happens to be in his own final season – won’t put a number on Bryant’s expected minutes, but 25-to-30 max seems a fair guess, with few if any back-to-backs. That limitation, plus a full offseason of healthy legs that didn’t exist in the previous two (Achilles, knee), gives hope that we’ll see Bryant on the court far more than he’s managed in recent seasons.  Again, his legacy is secure either way. But if this is Bryant’s last campaign, I’m sure you’ll want to be there in person to see him off … at least once … just in case.

Last year in San Antonio, Nick Young and I debated the best type of toilet paper. I went with Charmin Ultra Soft, while Swaggy P stated his preference for Scott, because it’s “a little rougher,” which is how he said he played after hitting a game-winning three on the Spurs. In 2015-16, only four of L.A.’s first 12 games come against teams that made the playoffs last season, and two are against Dallas, which lost Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler and has two players with major offseason surgeries (Wesley Matthews and Chandler Parsons). That leaves Brooklyn, not among the East’s stronger teams, and Toronto, who got younger amidst a series of roster moves. The schedule always evens out, but it can’t hurt for L.A. to have a chance to get something positive going early on against light opposition.

OK, if I’m being honest, it’s more like some variation of chicken, beef or fish, plus all kinds of healthy appetizers and some (relatively) healthy dessert options catered by Whole Foods and masterminded by Lakers strength and conditioning coach/budding nutritionist Tim DiFrancesco. Those of us in the back of the plane are major beneficiaries of the Lakers fueling their players with good food. Why are we talking about food on the plane? We’re going to be eating a TON of it until the year turns. The Lakers are on the road more during November and December than Bruce Springsteen, or whoever puts on the most shows these days (Taylor Swift? Rihanna? Imagine Dragons? Phish, still?).

I’ve never seen a schedule that has L.A. out of L.A. so much early in the season.

Oct./Nov./Dec. Home Games: 11Oct./Nov./Dec. Road Games: 22

Within this double-up are one five-game trip (BKN, NYK, MIA, ORL, DAL), and one eight-game mega-trip (PHI, WAS, ATL, DET, TOR, MIN, SAS, HOU), the latter being the team’s longest roadie since 2007-08. The good news: Once January comes, the Lakers will spend a great deal of time at home, including a 12H/5A split in January (one road game being “at” the Clippers) and a 12H/3A split in March. In fact, the Lakers have a 19-day, eight-game homestand from March 4-22.

Relatedly important: A focus for every schedule article is what gets packed for the long trips, like, how many suits will I bring on the eight-gamer? I’ll try to get away with three (black, grey and blue) with eight ties and eight shirts, but may have to add a fourth suit (brown or tan) to be safe. In an ideal world, I can fit everything into one bag, which is easier with just one pair of dress shoes (black only if I can avoid the brown or tan suit). This is a solid number in between your radio play-by-play voice John Ireland’s six suits and your TV voice Bill Macdonald’s two or three. Also: Our Spanish broadcasters for TWCS Deportes, Adrian Garcia Marquez and Francisco Pinto, are handsome enough that they could wear the same combo for every game and nobody would care. Yet, they still dress and look better than us.

Our food critic/correspondent for the Schedule Preview article, Lakers VP of Public Relations John Black, provided these options for those who would like to join the Lakers on the eight-game trek:

Philly – Davio’sWashington – Café MilanoAtlanta – Rathbun’sDetroit – McDonald’s*Toronto – Sotto SottoMinnesota – JD Hoyt’s or Murray’sSan Antonio – McDonald’s*Houston – Chick-fil-A*Apparently John isn’t a fan of any restaurants in Detroit or San Antonio. I, on the other hand, recommend Pappasito’s in San Antonio, and Townhouse (burgers) in Birmingham, Mich., where the team stays.

The NBA made a big push this season to make the schedule a bit easier as far as travel goes, and while the Lakers actually have two more back-to-backs than last season’s 16, they are more geographically sensible. For example: @MIA/@ORL, @DET/@TOR, @SAS/@HOU and @CHI/@MIL. Meanwhile, the Lakers have only one stretch of the dreaded four games in five nights set, from Nov. 28-Dec. 2 (@POR, IND, @PHI, @WAS).

Speaking of geographic sensibility: Last year, the Lakers traveled about 55,000 air miles, second only to Portland’s 60,000 in the entire NBA. But this season, the Lakers will cover 44,992 miles, a drop that has them about 1,000 away from the league’s minimum (43,832), and far below the league-max 55,827. We do have to add a few miles for training-camp’s destination, Honolulu, where the Lakers for a spell went every other preseason. But overall, the schedule still offers far more time for analysts Mychal Thompson and Stu Lantz to be at home watching baseball (Mychal’s youngest son Trayce plays for the White Sox) and football (Stu is an NCAA/NFL savant).

Throw away the inevitable Summer League overreaction to both positive and negative aspects of what D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle did in Vegas. What I saw: Russell had spots of forcing action, adjusting to the physicality, and he didn’t shoot well, but the Louisville native ultimately showed flashes of the potential that made him the No. 2 pick. His passing was so good at times as to be surprising for his young teammates; his ability to create in screen/roll situations made me think of a young James Harden with the shiftiness, craftiness, size and left hand; and he was better defensively than I expected. It’ll take some time, but the potential is very clear.

Randle, despite being very frustrated by the strict 20-minute limit enforced by head athletic trainer Gary Vitti’s lieutenants, showed promising signs as well. For someone of his strength and size, 2014’s No. 7 pick (who fractured his leg in the first game of his rookie year) has a remarkably quick first step, which he used to beat every four or five man who tried to guard him. His finishing wasn’t always great as Randle searched for game rhythm, but he did show off the improved jumper that many have seen him crafting at the team’s practice facility. Now, he didn’t make much of an impact on defense, which Byron Scott will surely address. On the other hand, when Randle did grab rebounds, he was terrific at pushing the ball up the court and creating offense either for himself or for teammates, and his ability to make plays for others when he got the ball in screen-roll situations was also impressive.

Every February since I began covering the team in 2008-09, the Lakers have vacated Staples Center to accommodate the Grammy Awards, and I’ve used the previous year’s “Best Rap Album” winner to break down the trip. Well, this year, there is no Grammy trip, since the Awards take place during the extended All-Star break (Feb. 11-18). This ends up being a good thing, however, since 2014 wasn’t the best year for rap albums. The nominees included: Iggy Azalea “The New Classic” (she got Swaggy P’s vote!); Common “Nobody’s Smiling”; Childish Gambino “Because the Internet”; Wiz Khalifa “Blacc Hollywood”; ScHoolboy Q “Oxymoron”; and Eminem “The Marshall Mathers LP 2”. Eminem won (for a rap record-smashing sixth time), but wouldn’t have gotten my vote. I’d have probably gone with ScHoolboy Q, or Ghostface Killah’s “36 Seasons,” though I’m biased to Ghost due to long-held Wu Tang Clan loyalty.

Who are the new faces you’ll get to know better throughout this schedule?

WELCOME: Brandon Bass, Anthony Brown, Roy Hibbert, Larry Nance, Jr., D’Angelo Russell, Lou WilliamsTHANKS: Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Wesley Johnson, Xavier Henry, Jordan Hill, Jeremy Lin, Wayne Ellington, Ronnie Price

Bass: The solid 10-year NBA vet posted averages of 10.6 points (50.4 percent FGs) plus 4.9 boards in 23.5 minutes per game for Boston last year, playing in all 82 games for the second straight season.Brown: As the 34th overall pick, this rookie out of Stanford hopes to emerge as a three-and-D threat, looking to carry his 44.1 three-point percentage from college into the NBA.Hibbert: The 2012 and ‘14 All-Star has long been a defensive force at the rim. Entering his eighth season in the NBA, he comes in motivated – even losing 16 pounds in the offseason – after a rough 2014-15 for the entire Indiana Pacers team. He is entering the final year of his contract.Nance, Jr.: The 27th overall pick was the 2015 Mountain West co-Defensive P.O.Y. while posting 16.1 points, 7.2 boards and 1.2 blocks, and he put up some of the best athletic metrics the Lakers have seen in recent years during his pre-draft workout.Russell: The consensus first-team All-American as a freshman at Ohio State shot up draft boards throughout the season behind his 19.3 points, 5.7 boards, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals, then wowed several teams during workouts with his unique combination of size, skill and vision. The result was the 19-year-old chosen No. 2 overall.Williams: There’s a narrative that Williams is only a scorer and will struggle to play with Nick Young off the bench, but we forget that Lou has averaged as many as 4.2 assists per game (2009-10 in Philly) and is capable of creating offense for others in addition to his well-known ability to get his own shot.

Particularly with how heavily road-slanted L.A.’s schedule is early in the season, the break from Feb. 11-18 will be long-awaited, especially for those of us with kids at home. With my nearly 10-month-old twin boys (Jett and Talan), I know how crazily the dads miss their kids during the long trips, no matter if the kids are pre-teens like Kobe’s (Natalia and Gianna), toddlers like Nick Young’s (Lil’ Swaggy) or babies younger than mine like Ryan Kelly’s (Nile). Now, you surely don’t need to have kids to look forward to All-Star. Some players simply need that rest for their bodies, and some need a release with a little vacation to put their feet up. Either way, the extended break is great for all of us.Sidenote: Eight of L.A.’s 10 opponents in February were playoff teams last season.

Every year, teams play four squads within their conference only three times, and 10 teams four times. This season, the Lakers will travel to Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas (Nov. 13) and Andrew Wiggins’ Minnesota (Dec. 9) just once, while Anthony Davis’ Pelicans (Jan. 12) and Damian Lillard’s Blazers (Nov. 22) come to Los Angeles one time apiece.

Last season, the Lakers played only once on Saturday--but on 21 Sundays. This season, you’ll see the Purple and Gold on six Saturdays, each one coming on the road, and 17 Sundays. Sunday is still primarily a Lakers day at Staples Center (12), with the Clippers and Kings typically seeing Saturdays on their schedules. In exchange for fewer Sundays at home, the Lakers play on two more Tuesdays and three more Wednesdays than in 2014-15.

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2015-16 Lakers Schedule Breakdown

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EL SEGUNDO – El miércoles la NBA difundió de manera oficial el calendario para la temporada 2015-2016 y los Lakers tendrán un gran número de citas interesantes.

Para comenzar vale destacar el debut del 28 de octubre en STAPLES Center ante los Minnesota Timberwolves, quienes vendrán con una especial mezcla de veteranía entre Kevin Garnett, Ricky Rubio, el actual Novato del Año Andrew Wiggins y el No.1 del Draft 2015, Karl-Anthony Towns. Sin duda será una ocasión especial para verlos en acción en el que probablemente será el debut profesional de D’Angelo Russell, Anthony Brown y Larry Nance, Jr, así como el regreso a la actividad oficial de Julius Randle.

Por si fuera poco, los Lakers también celebrarán las fiestas en Los Ángeles. El juego de Navidad será ante Los Angeles Clippers, mientras que los laguneros inaugurarán el 2016 en un emparejamiento ante los Philadelphia 76ers.

El calendario ofrece también dos grandes giras de carretera. Los Lakers estarán ausentes del 1-12 de diciembre, cuando visitarán la costa Este para medirse a Philadelphia, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, los Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs y Houston Rockets.

La segunda gran seguidilla será a principios de febrero, ya que tras enfrentar a Minnesota el 2, los Lakers irán de visitante ante New Orelans Pelicans, San Antonio, Indiana Pacers, y Cleveland Cavaliers desembocando directamente en el receso por el Juego de Estrellas, a disputarse el domingo 14 (curiosamente en el Día de San Valentín) en el Air Canada Center, hogar de los Raptors.

El calendario está lleno de juegos interesantes y de regresos triunfales. La fanaticada de los Lakers podrá ver nuevamente a Pau Gasol en Los Ángeles el jueves 28 de enero, y también podrán mostrarle su afecto a Phil Jackson y Derek Fisher cuando los New York Knicks visiten el sur de California el 13 de marzo.

Los campeones defensores Golden State Warriors visitarán el STAPLES Center el 5 de enero y el 6 de marzo, mientras que LeBron James y sus Cavaliers jugarán en Los Ángeles el 10 de marzo.

Además, el 23 de enero se cumplirán 10 años de la hazaña de Kobe Bryant ante los Toronto Raptors, en la que anotó 81 puntos para llevar a la victoria a los Lakers.

Los Lakers también disputarán 17 de sus últimos 23 juegos de la temporada en STAPLES Center (uno de ellos ante los Clippers en condición de “visitante”), cerrando la temporada regular el 13 de abril ante Utah Jazz.

Esta temporada los de púrpura y dorado tendrán 18 ocasiones en las que jugarán en noches consecutivas, y viajarán 44,992 millas, casi 10,000 menos que la temporada pasada. Los Lakers serán uno de los equipos que menos tiempo pase en un avión, ya que el máximo esta temporada es de 55,827.

El calendario de pretemporada ya estaba anunciado, pero vale repasar los rivales (domésticos e internacionales), así como las sedes, que están repartidas en tres estados.

Los Lakers enfrentarán a Utah Jazz dos veces en Honolulu, Hawái (4 y 6 de octubre), y también enfrentarán a los Raptors en Ontario (el 8), a los Sacramento Kings en Las Vegas (el 13), a los Warriors en San Diego y Anaheim (17 y 22, respectivamente). Los Lakers también se medirán al Maccabi Haifa de Israel el 11 de octubre y a los Portland Trail Blazers el 19, ambos en STAPLES Center.