1718Schedule

Joey Ramirez

Though the Lakers close out the regular season with only seven games in April, fans will have plenty of opportunities to catch the purple and gold in Los Angeles.

In fact, six of those contests will be played in L.A., with their only departure being a quick trip to Utah.

If the Lakers are still in contention in this final month they will face a daunting entrance to the postseason, as nearly every one of their April opponents also figures to be vying for playoff seeding.

AprilGames: 7Home: 5Away: 2Playoff Opponents: 5National TV Games: 3Back-to-Backs: 2Home Opponents: Sacramento, San Antonio, Minnesota, Utah, HoustonRoad Destinations: Utah, Clippers

April 1 vs. Sacramento (6:30 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and NBA TV)
Lonzo Ball’s final duel with a fellow lottery pick will come when De’Aaron Fox and the Sacramento Kings come to town. Having already played each other twice in college, Ball and Fox will have plenty more meetings in store as they share a division for the foreseeable future.

April 10 vs. Houston (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
The Lakers look to defend their court one last time against James Harden, Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets. Count on fans to be fired up both inside the arena and across the country for this home finale.

April 11 at Clippers (7:30 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
Despite closing out the home schedule the night before, the Lakers will play one more game at STAPLES Center as the “visiting” team against the Clippers. It will a chance to see how much progress was made against the opponent that the Lakers opened the schedule against.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: April

As the season winds down the Lakers will encounter one of their toughest weeks of the year. In a stretch of just four days, they will face the teams from each of the last three NBA Finals — Golden State and Cleveland.

However, the remainder of the schedule is manageable enough for a potential hot streak if the Lakers are still in playoff contention.

More than half of March’s opponents are teams that did not make last year’s postseason. Plus, the purple and gold will only have to deal with one back-to-back all month long.

MarchGames: 15Home: 7Away: 8Playoff Opponents: 7National TV Games: 5Back-to-Backs: 1Home Opponents: Portland, Orlando, Cleveland, Denver, Miami, Dallas, MilwaukeeRoad Destinations: Miami, San Antonio, Denver, Golden State, Indiana, New Orleans, Memphis, Detroit

March 11 vs. Cleveland (6 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and ESPN)
LeBron James and the Eastern Conference-champion Cavaliers make their lone appearance on the Lakers’ home floor in front of a nationally televised audience.

March 14 at Golden State (7:30 p.m.; Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and ESPN)
The Lakers will travel up north for their fourth and final matchup against the defending champions. An added wrinkle to this year’s series will be the presence of former Laker Nick Young, who will be suiting up for the Warriors this time around.

March 26 at Detroit (4 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will return to Detroit after spending his first five years in the NBA as a Piston. However, it will be in unfamiliar territory for KCP, as this game will be held at Little Caesars Arena — the league’s newest venue.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: March

Though the Lakers play only three home games during February, they will have plenty of time in Los Angeles, where they will co-host this year’s NBA All-Star Game.

The Lakers should have plenty of candidates for All-Star Weekend — from Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball in the Rising Stars Challenge to Larry Nance Jr. at the Slam Dunk Contest. But it will remain to be seen if there will be a representative in the big game itself.

Aside from that, the majority of the month will be spent away from STAPLES Center. The first week immediately sets that tone, as it begins with visits to Brooklyn and Oklahoma City as part of a season-long, five-game road trip.

FebruaryGames: 10Home: 3Away: 7Playoff Opponents: 3National TV Games: 4Back-to-Backs: 2Home Opponents: Phoenix, Oklahoma City, DallasRoad Destinations: Brooklyn, Oklahoma City, Dallas, New Orleans, Minnesota, Sacramento, Atlanta

Feb. 2 at Brooklyn (4:30 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
Brook Lopez will serve as homecoming king, as he returns to Brooklyn for the first time as a visitor. Lopez spent the first nine years of his career with the Nets, and ranks as the franchise’s all-time leader in points scored and blocked shots.

Feb. 4 at Oklahoma City (11 a.m.; ABC)
The Lakers will play a matinee in front of a national audience, as they take on reigning MVP Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder in their only ABC-broadcasted game of the season.

Feb. 23 vs. Dallas (7:30 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
After the All-Star Break is finished, the Lakers will remain in Los Angeles for a meeting with the Mavericks that will see a clash between lottery-pick point guards Lonzo Ball and Dennis Smith Jr.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: February

After starting 2018 with games on both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the Lakers are in for plenty of rest as they will be free from back-to-backs for the rest of January.

Plus, after beginning the year with a visit to Minneapolis, the purple and gold will immediately return to Los Angeles for a season-long, five-game home stand from the 3rd through the 11th.

However, they will start paying their dues at the end of the month, as January ends with the first three tilts of a five-game road trip that will also be the longest of the year.

JanuaryGames: 15Home: 8Away: 7Playoff Opponents: 8National TV Games: 6Back-to-Backs: 1Home Opponents: Oklahoma City, Charlotte, Atlanta, Sacramento, San Antonio, Indiana, New York, BostonRoad Destinations: Minnesota, Dallas, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Chicago, Toronto, Orlando

Jan. 1 at Minnesota (5 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
2018 tips off with a visit to Minneapolis — the city where the Lakers franchise began exactly 70 years ago. This will be the second holiday matchup with the Timberwolves, who visit Staples Center on Christmas Day.

Jan. 15 at Memphis (Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and TNT)
The NBA always pays special tribute on Martin Luther King Day, and this year will not be different. For the Lakers, it will take on exceptional importance in the city where the civil rights leader lost his life. In the past, Lakers players have made sure to pay their respects and visit the Lorraine Motel while in Memphis.

Jan. 23 vs. Boston (7:30 p.m. PT; TNT)
It’s difficult to match the electricity of Staples Center when the arch-rival Boston Celtics pay their only visit to the Lakers’ home court. The Celtics will bring some extra firepower this year, as All-Star Gordon Hayward and third-overall pick Jayson Tatum join Isaiah Thomas and co.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: January

A cold December will test the Lakers’ strength, as they will spend most of it on the road, particularly in Eastern Conference cities.

But they won’t find much relief in their own conference, as they will have to face Houston three times in December, while also meeting defending-champion Golden State twice.

Plus, there will be a visit to the Eastern Conference champion, Cleveland, on December 14. This slate of top-quality opponents will serve as a benchmark for the Lakers, and will also put them on national TV for more than half their games this month.

DecemberGames: 14Home: 6Away: 8Playoff Opponents: 9National TV Games: 8Back-to-Backs: 2Home Opponents: Houston, Golden State, Portland, Minnesota, Memphis, ClippersRoad Destinations: Denver, Philadelphia, Charlotte, New York, Cleveland, Houston (twice), Golden State

Dec. 12 at New York (4 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and ESPN)
It’s an annual trip to the “World’s Most Famous Arena,” as the Lakers make their pilgrimage to Madison Square Garden. This time there will be a clash between lottery-pick point guards, as Lonzo Ball takes on Frank Ntilikina.

Dec. 25 vs. Minnesota (7:30 p.m. PT; TNT)
The holiday tradition lives on, as the Lakers will play on Christmas Day for the 18th consecutive year. This edition will see Ball, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle battle another team stocked for the future, as Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins come to Los Angeles.

Dec. 31 at Houston (4 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
The final game of 2017 will also be the last meeting with Houston in a month that will make both sides familiar with one another. The Lakers will look to end the calendar year with some fireworks against a loaded Rockets squad headlined by James Harden and Chris Paul.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: December

Lakers fans, rejoice. The NBA season will start two weeks earlier this season, as the league has stretched out the schedule to allow more rest for players.

The first month of the season offers a potentially fast start for the Lakers, who will not face any of the four conference finalists during the month of October.

Toss in five home tilts over the first seven games, and the schedule’s beginning is ripe for a young squad looking to establish some momentum.

OctoberGames: 7Home: 5Away: 2Playoff Opponents: 4National TV Games: 3Back-to-Backs: 2Home Opponents: Clippers, New Orleans, Washington, Toronto, DetroitRoad Destinations: Phoenix, Utah

Oct. 19 vs. Clippers (7:30 p.m. PT; TNT)
The Lonzo Ball era tips off at Staples Center, as the Lakers host their in-arena neighbors. Brandon Ingram will also look to show off the results of his first offseason, while the Clippers will operate without Chris Paul (traded) and possibly Blake Griffin (injury).

Oct. 20 at Phoenix (7 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
There’s no rest for the Lakers after Opening Night, as they will immediately board a flight for their first road game of the season. That very next day it will be a clash between young cores, as Ball, Ingram and Julius Randle clash with Josh Jackson, Devin Booker and Marquese Chriss.

Oct. 31 vs. Detroit (7:30 p.m. PT; Spectrum SportsNet, Spectrum Deportes and NBA TV)
The Lakers will spend Halloween night on their home floor, hosting the Pistons for the only time this year. Plus, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will get his first opportunity to face the team he spent the first four seasons of his career with.

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2017-18 Lakers Schedule Breakdown: October

The Lakers’ 2017-18 schedule has been released, and the team’s six-month, 82-game odyssey is filled with high-level opponents and intriguing storylines.

Below is the schedule boiled down to five of the top matchups that every Laker fan should have marked on their calendar.

October 19 vs. LA Clippers (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
The season tips off with a meeting between teams that share an arena but are heading in different directions. The Lakers have found a focal point of the future in Lonzo Ball, who will debut in front of his hometown fans. Meanwhile, the Clippers will play their first game in the post-Chris Paul era.

November 3 vs. Brooklyn (7:30 p.m.; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
Drama will be high as D’Angelo Russell faces his former team at Staples Center. A core member of the young Lakers for two years, Russell will play his first game against L.A., while Brook Lopez — the Nets’ all-time leading scorer — will be in that exact situation on the other side of the floor.

November 29 vs. Golden State (7:30 p.m.; Spectrum SportsNet and Spectrum Deportes)
The Lakers will get their first crack at the defending champions, and they’ve got plenty of reason for confidence. Though the Warriors have amassed the best three-year regular-season record in NBA history, the Lakers have defended home court against Golden State each season.

December 25 vs. Minnesota (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
The Lakers will be playing on Christmas Day for the 18th consecutive year, this time engaging in a battle of young squads with the Timberwolves. While Ball, Brandon Ingram and co. will duel Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, they will also have the opportunity to pass the Knicks for the most Christmas wins in league history.

January 23 vs. Boston (7:30 p.m.; TNT)
The Celtics’ annual trip to the Lakers’ home court will be especially interesting this year. While the Lakers boast the two most recent No. 2 picks in the NBA Draft — Ingram and Ball — Boston has the players selected right after — Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.