The 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers season is the 65th season of the franchise, the 64th season at the National Basketball Association (NBA), and 53rd season in Los Angeles. The Lakers acquired All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard, giving them the starting lineup of five All-Stars consisting of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Nash, and Howard, who are expected to compete for the NBA 17th franchise championship, join their rivals, Boston Celtics, for the most NBA Championships. Instead, the Lakers struggled to qualify for the playoffs after changing head coaches and applying various offenses. However, a weak defense and many injuries are the team's biggest problems. They came out of the first round of playoffs for the first time since 2007.
The season begins with head coach Mike Brown turning the Lakers offensive strategy into Princeton offense. After recording 0-8 preseason and 1-4 starting the regular season, Brown was fired. Assistant Bernie Bickerstaff was appointed as interim coach until Mike D'Antoni took over as head coach full time. However, the Lakers started the season 15-21 for their worst start since the 1993-94 season. They are in danger of losing the playoffs after lagging behind the Houston Rockets at All-Star break by a 3 1 / 2 game for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Lakers started 8-2 after the break, earning their only tennis on 8th place for the first time since December 1, and transferring two more than 0,500 games for the first time throughout the season. After being swept away by their crossstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Lakers dropped half a game behind the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot. The Lakers again took over Utah's position in the standings, but the Kobe Bryant season ended after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in the 80th game of the season. The Lakers qualified for the playoffs on the final day of the season, beating Houston to finish 45-37 and seventh seed in the West. Facing San Antonio Spurs in the first half, the injured Lakers were hit 4-0.
Video 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers season
Key date
- June 28 : The 2012 NBA draft takes place at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
- July 11 : The Lakers acquire MVP Steve Nash twice for the first round in 2013 and 2015 as well as the second round in 2013 and 2014.
- August 10 : The Lakers acquires DPOY three times Dwight Howard, F/C Earl Clark, and PG Chris Duhon in a four-player multi-player trade also involving C Andrew Bynum, F Josh McRoberts, and G/F Christian Eyenga.
- October 21 : Dwight Howard makes his Laker debut in pre-season loss to the Sacramento Kings.
- October 30 : The Lakers open the 2012-13 NBA season, losing to the Dallas Mavericks 91-99.
- December 28 : The Lakers retired jersey number 52 Jamaal Wilkes at halftime in their game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers won the game with a score of 104-87.
- April 2 : The Lakers retired shirt number 34 Shaquille O'Neal at halftime in a game against the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers won the game with a score of 101-81.
Maps 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers season
Drawing draft
List
Offseason
After being knocked out of the playoffs in the second round in the previous two seasons, the Lakers traded for Defensive Players three-time Dwight Howard and Steve Nash's Most Valuable Player. This is the fourth time in league history that a team has acquired two players with at least six All-Star options. Both players are widely regarded as the Hall of Famers of the future. They join the already powerful Lakers core at Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Metta World Peace. The Howard Center makes the team younger and more athletic; his acquisition seems to be the beginning of a new dynasty for the Lakers. At Nash, the Lakers have their first elite point guard in decades. The trio of Bryant, Howard, and Nash are expected to rival a combination of defending champions Miami Heat from LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. In addition, the Lakers again signed key roles player Jordan Hill and signed veteran free agent Antawn Jamison and shooting specialist Jodie Meeks.
Coach Mike Brown began installing Princeton's offense, a decision he made even before the July acquisition of Nash. He thought of using the offense the previous season, but locking had an impact on the schedule, making it too busy to be implemented. New assistant coach Eddie Jordan was hired to install the Lakers' third offense in three years after a triangle offense during Lakers coach Phil Jackson's tenure and Brown's own offense the previous season.
Despite the addition of Howard and Nash, Bryant insisted he remained the Lakers leader. Nash agreed that it was Bryant's team, but added the team needed to provide support. Bryant waits for Nash to run a team offense. Bryant imagined that after he retired, Howard would take on the role of team leader. Howard anticipated Bryant being tough on him. "So I will take all the heat he will give me because I know that at the end of the day it will make me a better player and a better person and that will make this team better," Howard said. In 2014, Nash said that "everyone can see [the relationship between Bryant and Howard] will be difficult from the start."
Season summary
Struggle with Princeton offense
Howard has resumed operations earlier in April, and the Lakers have acquired him with the possibility that he may be out until December or January. He did not play basketball until training camp in October. The Lakers went on a winless 0-8 in preseason with Howard playing in just two games while he was still recovering. It is estimated Brown could be up to January for the Lakers to fully control the new offense. The Lakers starting the lineup at the start of the regular season are both the league's highest and oldest with Nash (38 years), Bryant (34), Gasol and World Peace (32), and Howard (26). The Fifth All-Stars have a combined 33 All-Star appearances, and the team has the highest salary in the league of over $ 100 million. The New York Times called them "one of the most talented lineups in NBA history." ESPN writes that the Lakers "are not only expected to win titles but to do so in record-breaking fashion." Bryant warned that they are not "the most athletic teams in the world" and can be limited in their rebound and transition games. Howard is ready to start the season, but he's still recovering from his back surgery. In his Laker debut, Howard got 19 points and 10 rebounds, but he's only 3-for-14 in free throws and fouled; The Lakers lost 99-91.
Bryant said patience was needed as the team adjusted for Princeton's offense. He endorsed a new scheme, comparing it to the principles of triangular split and a difficult learning curve. The Lakers fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 105-95 in "home games", and they started the season 0-3 for the first time since 34 years ago in 1978 and only the fourth time in franchise history. Bryant scored 40 points in defeat with two steals, and he passed Magic Johnson (1,724) as the Lakers career leader in the steal. Nash did not play after suffering a non-displaced fracture on his left foot in the previous game, and he is expected to be out for at least a week. The Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 108-79 for their first win, and avoided their first 0-4 start since 1957. However, after the beginning of 1-4, Brown was fired as head coach. The team is still adjusting to new offenses and doing a large number of changes; defense, Brown's specialties, are also vulnerable. In addition to Nash and Howard's illness, Bryant has been playing with injured legs and can not practice. The Lakers, however, have the urgency to win and are not forced to wait in view of their aging stars, Howard's free agency coming next summer, and Jerry Buss' owners of deteriorating health. Brown's dismissal after five games was the third fastest training change in NBA history.
D'Antoni takes over
In the media, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson became a prime candidate to replace Brown. Meanwhile, assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff is a temporary head coach. He won the first two games he coached, while the audience at the Staples Center shouted "We Want Phil" during the game. The Lakers talked with Jackson first, but he asked for two days to consider opening. He believes the Lakers will await his response, but the Lakers think it is understood they will continue their search. The next day, the team talked with Mike D'Antoni and signed it to a multi-year contract with a unanimous decision by the front office. They felt that the fast-paced D'Antoni style of play made him "fit" for the team, better suited than Jackson's structured triangle violation. Buss's preference has always been for the Lakers to commit widespread offenses. D'Antoni was reunited with Nash, who won two Most Valuable Player Players in four seasons under D'Antoni while with the Phoenix Suns. Bryant is also familiar with D'Antoni; Bryant as a child knew him when D'Antoni was a star in Italy and Bryant's father also played there. Bryant grew close to D'Antoni during their time with the United States national team.
D'Antoni's coaching debut with the Lakers was postponed because he recovered from a knee replacement surgery. He underwent surgery a few weeks earlier on October 31, as he initially expects that he take a year off from training and will have several months to recover. Bickerstaff continues to be the temporary coach of the Lakers; he finished with a 4-1 record, winning his last two games when D'Antoni started leading team training. Older brother Dan D'Antoni was appointed as a new coach assistant and also assisted. In his first press conference, D'Antoni predicted that the Lakers, then 3-5 and ranked 20th with a score of 96.5 points per game, should have scored "110-115 points a game". He wants to revive Showtime. He repeated the belief of general manager Mitch Kupchak that the Lakers were built to win the NBA championship that season. D'Antoni is happy to be back with Nash, noting his unsuccessful job with the New York Knicks without him. On November 20, he coached his first game - nine days after he was hired - in a 95-90 victory against the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers equalized their worst start on the road (0-4) since the 1995-96 season, but banged a streak with a 115-89 win over the Dallas Mavericks; it was also their first 100 point effort in the first four games under D'Antoni.
With Nash still out, D'Antoni started 2-3 as Laker, a minimal improvement over early 1-4 Brown. The team has struggled to get those big Gasol and Howard involved in this new offense. Bryant also adjusts, runs more scrolls and fewer posts than at any time in his career. In addition, reserve point keeper Steve Blake has been out since his stomach injury on Nov. 11, and he will not be back until the end of January. On 30 November, the Lakers made 17 point three-goal pitches - tying the team's record for the rule game - in a 122-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Free agent acquisition Antawn Jamison scored 33 points, the first time Laker scored 30 points in reserve since Shaquille O'Neal in 1998. Jamison also made five three-pointers while Jodie Meeks scored 21 points at seven as high as three clues. Howard even added a three-second pointer from his career in addition to 28 points and 20 rebounds. They lost 113-103 from the Orlando Magic in the next home game in Howard's first game against his former team. He had 21 points and 15 rebounds, but he was deliberately violated and shot just 9-for-21 on his free throw.
After being disturbed by tendinitis in both knees since the training camp, Gasol missed the next game. He struggled after seven games under D'Antoni, averaging 10.1 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 38.8 percent, and he was dismantled in fourth quarter in several games. The Lakers lost 116-107 to the Knicks in the first game of D'Antoni's return to New York since he left the previous season. The Lakers allowed another big quarter as they trailed 41-27 in the first quarter. Bryant scored 31, but Los Angeles fell to 1-11 when he scored 30 points, 1-5 without Gasol, and 4-9 overall under D'Antoni. Gasol returned after missing eight games, contributed 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a 101-100 victory over the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. The Lakers overcame a deficit of 18 points for their third straight win, only the second time this season has been achieved. Nash started against the Golden State Warriors after missing 24 games, and he collected 12 points and nine assists in an overtime win over 118-115. The team were 12-12 during their absence, and won three of their first four games after he returned.
Early 2013 struggling
The Lakers lost on New Year's Day, and their 15-16 record matched their worst start after 31 games since the 2002-03 season. According to Bryant, the team has no energy "because we are old..." Before their second meeting with their rivals on January 4, the Clippers were 25-8 years old and struggled for the best record in the league, while the Lakers nine games behind the Clippers and looking to secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Just for the fourth time in 127 previous meetings since they moved to Los Angeles, the Clippers have a better record than the Lakers who entered their game when both teams have played 30 matches or more. Bryant called Clippers the "top contenders" for the championship before the Lakers lost again to the Clippers. Kupchak told the Lakers season ticket holders, the team needs Gasol to be more involved, and the Lakers need to play a better defense. He does not believe that the team, whose average age of roster is 28.5, is too old to win the championship. The Lakers were followed by a home loss to Denver, when Lakers fans revived the song "We Want Phil" from two months earlier. It was their fourth defeat in five games, dropping them to 15-18 and 11th in the West, three games behind the Portland Trail Blazers for eighth and final playoff spot. Nash predicted the Lakers would need a minimum of 45 wins to qualify for the playoffs, which would require the team to leave 30-19 (.612) following 49 matches after playing.455 balls in their first 33 matches. After the Denver game, Howard has his ice-covered right shoulder. He has played through injuries suffered his previous match against the Clippers, and has tied a career high with 26 rebounds against Denver. Gasol suffered a concussion in the game after receiving a blow to the face from JaVale McGee Denver in the fourth quarter, and the back-up of big man Jordan Hill also injured his right hip in the game. Howard and Gasol were declared unlimited. Hill, who has brought a bit of a commotion to the team, needs an operation that is expected to keep him out until the summer.
The team has a different perspective on how they will improve. Howard thinks that team chemistry needs to be improved. Bryant believed it was fine if the locker room was cleft. D'Antoni says that the chemical building is too exaggerated if the team plays with maximum effort. In response to the New York Daily News report that Howard had to refrain from chasing him, Bryant posted a photo on Twitter of Howard and he joked and criticized when D'Antoni saw with a surprised expression.. On January 8, 2013, Nash became the fifth player in NBA history to achieve 10,000 career assists; However, Los Angeles lost the 125-112 game to the Houston Rockets for their fourth successive defeat, tying their longest streak of the season. Due to a Lakers injury, rookie center Robert Sacre also started his first career against the Rockets, with 10 points, four blocked shots and three rebounds; Their losing streak after losing the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, dropped the Lakers to 15-21 for their worst start since the 1993-94 season. World Peace also suffered a right leg injury against the Thunder which will hold it for two months.
Compared to the 2011-12 team that finished 41-25, the Lakers offense has increased in points per 100 possessions (108.3 vs. 106.0), but their defenses underperformed. The team lacks continuity with the initial lineup projected at the start of the season after playing just 117 minutes together, mainly due to injury. Howard returned in the next game as the Lakers won their first game in 2013, stopping their sixth straight loss with a 113-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers (9-30). In a move to boost the team's defenses, D'Antoni begins to ask Bryant to keep the best opposing perimeter players; Bryant is the main defender of Cavrieers' Kyrie Irving, who was held to 15 points. Bryant admits he is a more focused defender when he has a challenging defensive task as opposed to when he plays the ball against weaker players. His defense disrupted the opponent and liberated Nash from an unfavorable fight. In addition to his foot injury, World Peace also suffered an injury to his right arm that made it difficult to bend. Things got really bad, D'Antoni moved him from the perimeter in the defense and told him to keep the power instead.
Gasol returned after missing five games, coming off the bench in his first game back before returning to the starting lineup. After losing 95-83 roads to the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers lost ninth in 11 games for a 5-14 road record overall, Los Angeles falling to 12th in the West with a 17-24 record in mid-season. Calling it a permanent move, D'Antoni has equiped Gasol in the game and started Earl Clark to form the faster and smaller lineup that the coach loves. This team is already ranked No. 2 in speed. Under D'Antoni, the Lakers dropped to 12-19 while scoring an average of 103.3 points but surrendered 103.4. Offensive, they reach the threshold of 110 points just eight times in 31 matches, going 5-3. However, D'Antoni stressed that the team's focus is needed for his defense, not a violation.
Other new violations
The Lakers struggled to run a quick offense of D'Antoni. Howard's back surgery still affects his condition, and he struggles with Nash to run a pick and roll, a game that D'Antoni hopes will be a staple for the team. The team also lacks the shooter and the speed required by the offense. Before playing the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers held a team meeting to clear the air; The Los Angeles Times reported that "people go a little each other." The players told D'Antoni that they needed to slow down. The coach likens the Lakers to the All-Star team where "everyone gets the ball and goes one on one and then they do not play defense." He added that they "do not yet know that there is a sequence of powers" in which stars need to know their roles. Howard, who averaged 17.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks, said he needed to "take him" and dominate in more ways than just scoring goals. Time and time again Howard was angry because he did not get enough balls, and he felt that Bryant was shooting too much. Howard predicts the next game will be the "start of the new season"; D'Antoni had made a similar declaration a week before, when they won two games before losing three straight.
In their first game in the second half, the Lakers lost 106-93 from Memphis. Los Angeles is four games behind eighth place Portland, but only three games ahead of last place Phoenix and New Orleans. Only five Western teams ever made the playoffs after the start of 17-25 or worse, the last being Denver in 2004-05 when they went 32-8 to finish 49-33. Their defensive ratings, points per 100 possessions, only ranked 20th in the league. The Lakers won the next three home games after they dropped D'Antoni's offense and played without any system. "We play basketball, this system moves the ball, play hard defenses, wastes floors and shoots open It's not a difficult thing," D'Antoni said. The coach moves Nash off the ball and makes it more of a spot-up shooter, while Bryant becomes the main facilitator on the offense. Defense is also more energetic. Bryant has at least 10 assists in all three wins with a total of three games of 39 assists, most in his career. He missed triple-double in every game with nine rebounds twice and eight in the other. Prior to the change of roles, Bryant had led the league in scoring a lot of the first 42 games. Howard and Bryant praised the meeting in Memphis by bringing the team together.
The Lakers, who are 5-15 on the road, went on seven games, 12 important trips. They lost their first game to the Suns on 30 January after winning 13 points in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles completed a winless January in seven games on the road, the first time in their franchise history to complete a 0-7 calendar month or worse. Howard left Phoenix early after irritating his shoulders. Playing without Howard, Gasol returns to the starting lineup and the Lakers win the next two games, their first road win in 2013 despite garnering double-digit leads in four games since Phoenix. On 5 February, they won 92-83 at Brooklyn - their sixth victory in seven games and third in a row without Howard - but lost Gasol for about six to eight weeks after he tore his right leg plantar fascia towards the end of the game. Bryant urges Howard to go back and play through the pain, saying that the center is "too much worried" and tentative to return because he "does not want to let anyone down". Howard mentioned that Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal needed three years to win a joint title, but Bryant replied, "We do not have three years. We've got this year." Howard replied that Bryant was "not a doctor, I'm not a doctor.
Howard returned to the next game after missing three games, but the Lakers lost 116-95 to the Boston Celtics. They finished their journey 4-3 after losing to defending champion NBA Miami Heat. The Lakers tied in half and trailed the Heat with only five entering the final period, but made eight turnovers in the last 10 minutes. In the next home game, Bryant has eight turnovers and scored just four points - the lowest since two points in the second season of 1998 - but had nine assists in a win over weak Phoenix teams. In their last match before the All-Star break, they were defeated by the Clippers 15-0 to start the game and lost 125-101, clinching the season series for the Clippers for the first time in 20 years from 1992-1993. The Lakers entered the break 25-29 after winning 8 of their last 12 games. They are represented in All-Star Game by Bryant and Howard, who are both beginners.
The death of Jerry Buss and Post All-Star success
During the break, Howard is committed to having a better second half. An avid candy lover, Howard adopted a healthier diet to get a better body shape to defend the Lakers defense and run on the preferred D'Antoni pick and rolls. On February 18, the day after the All-Star game, Buss died after being hospitalized for 18 months due to cancer. In honor of the owner, the team wore warning patches with the initials "JB" on their shirts for the rest of the season. The Lakers entered the post-All-Star schedule with a record of 25-29 (0.463), 3 1 / 2 game behind Houston's eighth place. D'Antoni estimates that the Lakers need at least 45 victories to qualify for the playoffs, which require them to finish 20-8 (.714). Of the Lakers remaining 28 games, half against the team with a winning record compared to just 44% for the Rockets. In three previous full NBA seasons, the last playoff seed in the West averaged 48 wins.
The Lakers were 3-0 in their first week back, including victory over competing Celtics. Bryant was named a Western Conference player in a week after averaging 31.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. He scored 38 points while aiming at least 60% in consecutive games, his first time in his career; he also became the oldest player to achieve that feat. Bryant said he was "in attack mode since the [All-Star] break", but reacted to the defense to determine whether he should score goals or become a playmaker. Howard looked fresher since the break, but still said he was "not even close" to physically where he wanted to be. D'Antoni attributes his conditioning to his predicament by running pick and roll. On February 25, the Lakers lost 119-108 in Denver, failing to reach 0.500 for the first time since the New Year. Lastly in the NBA at the allowable break points fast, they were defeated by the Nuggets 33-3 on a quick break. The three-point shooting and turnover of the Lakers contributed to the misery of their season's breaking fast. Their usual three-point shooting resulted in a long rebound increase, and they were among the worst in the league in turnovers and last in points allowed per game from turnover. The Lakers are 9-4 in February, ending the month with a 29-30 record after entering it 20-26. Bryant was named the Western Conference this month after averaging 23.9 points with 6.6 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game.
On March 3, the Lakers won 99-98 against qualified opponents at the Atlanta Hawks, and they reached 0.500 for the first time since December 28. They took 16 points in the second half, but Bryant scored the Lakers. the last six points, including the winner of the game with nine seconds left in the game. There are four lead changes in the last minute. The Lakers increased to 13-5, their fourth best record in the NBA, since their team meeting in Memphis. They also get the 1 1 / 2 game on the last playoff seeds during that range. However, they dropped below 0,500 again after losing 122-105 in Oklahoma City. The Lakers fall to 10-20 on the road and 2-13 against the top five teams in the Western Conference. They won the next two games with 25 and 15 comeback points in New Orleans and Toronto, respectively. Bryant scored at least 40 points and had at least 10 assists in both matches, becoming the first Laker to achieve since Jerry West in 1970. On March 10, Los Angeles defeated Chicago 90-81 and moved 1 >/ 2 in front of Utah Jazz for the last playoff spot in the West. This is the first time they have one top-8 spot since December 1st, and for the first time they are two games over.500 all season. After 3-0 weeks in which he averaged 33 points, 8.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds, Bryant was once again called the Western Conference Player of the Week. The Lakers are 8-2 since the All-Star break, and Howard has 10 straight games with 12 or more rebounds while averaging 15.5 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks. In Howard's first game in Orlando on March 12, he scored 39 points in the high season and 16 rebounds in Lakers 106-97 victory. It was only the second time that Los Angeles had won four straights throughout the season. Booed throughout the match, Howard made 25-of-39 free throws, setting the Lakers record for free throws made and trying while tying his NBA record to effort. He made 16 of 20 free throws when he was deliberately deliberate by the Magic.
More injuries
The Lakers lost their next game in Atlanta, 96-92, when Bryant completely dislocated on his left ankle. He was declared out indefinitely after landing at the feet of the Hawks 'Dahntay Jones'. Bryant suggests that Jones deliberately put his feet under him, which Jones rejected. Bryant said it was his worst sprain since he landed on Jalen Rose's feet in Game 2 of the NBA Finals 2000, which Rose later admitted deliberately. The Lakers failed for the 13th time to win both matches played on the previous nights, and they fell to 12-21 on the road - 2-16 against the team above 0,500. Bryant split 12 minutes to play in the next game against the Indiana Pacers, who won the Lakers 99-93; Bryant did not score for just the 15th time in a NBA career for 17 years. However, he sits in the next two games because his ankle is dislocated. The Lakers played 1-1, failing to win back-to-back games again after losing a second night in Phoenix. The Suns are tied with New Orleans for the West's worst record, but the Lakers scored a low season in a 99-76 defeat.
Bryant returned against the Washington Wizards along with Gasol, who played for the first time in more than six weeks, but the Lakers lost 103-100 at home after leading by 18. On March 25, the Lakers lost to the Warriors, virtually eliminating any chance of the Lakers progressing to the playoffs. 6 or 7 playoffs passing Golden State or Houston, which seems worthy the week before. The Lakers also lost World Peace in the game after he tore the lateral meniscus on his left knee. He underwent an operation that was originally thought to rule out him for six weeks. The Lakers' three-game winning streak was partly attributed to D'Antoni reuniting Gasol into the starting lineup over Clark, making the team taller but slower. After winning the next game against Minnesota, the Lakers failed to win the night in a row for the 15th time, losing 113-103 from the Milwaukee Bucks. Nash sat at the end of the game because of hip and hamstring problems. Disturbed by a bone spur on his left foot, Bryant also left the game. Lakers left behind Utah in the standings. Both Bryant and Nash played in the next game, winning 103-98 over the Sacramento Kings, but Nash left the game after less than two minutes with a hamstring injury.
Nash stayed out, but the Lakers won the next two games to precede Utah with half the game. Bryant scored a triple-double - 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists - against Dallas, followed by 24 points and nine assists in a win over Memphis. Playing most games on the elbow on offense, Gasol added 19 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. "We use him the right way", says Bryant. On 7 April, the Lakers lost 109-95 to the Clippers, who won their first Pacific Division title in franchise history. The Lakers have won 23 of the 42 previous division titles. The loss also completed the sweeping season by Clippers, 4-0. The franchise has not swept the Lakers since 1974-75, when they were Buffalo Braves. The defeat coupled with a Jazz victory dropped the Lakers (40-37) half-game behind Utah (41-37), who will win the match after winning the season 2-1 series. Jazz will end up in front of the Lakers if they win the remaining four matches according to their schedule.
Fight for playoff
On April 9, Utah lost to Oklahoma City, while Los Angeles beat New Orleans 104-96 to regain half-time leads for eighth. Bryant scored 23 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and Gasol had 22 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. World Peace played 15 minutes in the game, returning 12 days after its operation even though the initial estimate is six weeks. In his absence, D'Antoni uses a seven-man rotation that is reduced by Bryant, who plays for almost 48 minutes every game. The following night, the Lakers played in Portland, where they have lost 12 of the previous 14 and, since 2002, 17 of their last 21 years. Portland looked vulnerable without three starters and started four starters, but they led 95-90 in the fourth round. quarter. The Lakers returned to win, 113-106, when Bryant scored 47 points in 48 minutes. It was the Lakers' first sweep in back-to-back games after 16 attempts during the season. Gasol also had 23 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, while Howard contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds. Bryant, Gasol, and Howard chime for 90 points, the highest in the season. The Lakers shifted the full game ahead of the Jazz with three games left, all at home, against Golden State played by playoffs, San Antonio and Houston.
On 12 April, the Lakers beat the Warriors 118-116, but Bryant went with a torn Achilles tendon that ended his season and is expected to marginalize it for six to nine months. Bryant had injured his knees after colliding with Warriors' Festus Ezeli in the third quarter, but he played every minute before leaving with 3:06 left in the game. He finished with 34 points, and Gasol had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for sixth in his sixth career. Howard scored 28 points, making 14 of 22 free throws. Bryant's injury comes as he plays seven consecutive quarters and at least 40 minutes for seven games in a row. He averaged minutes (38.6) in six years, and only Portland rookie Damian Lillard who averaged more minutes. Kupchak had spoken to Bryant about his extensive playing time 10 days earlier, but Bryant insisted the minutes needed to continue given the Lakers playoff boost. Frustrated by his injuries, Bryant revealed various emotions while babbling on Facebook in the middle of the night.
In their first game without Bryant, the Lakers won 91-88 against Spurs. Howard had 26 points and 17 rebounds and Blake added 23 points. The Lakers went 4-0 that week, and Bryant won the Player of the Week honor for the third time despite missing the San Antonio game. He led the league in scoring that week (37.0), ranked second in the Western Conference in stealing (2.67 per game), and averaged 6.3 rebounds and 5 assists. On the final day of the season, the Lakers are still at risk of losing the playoffs, but they qualify after losing by the Jazz. The Lakers then beat the Rockets 99-95 in extra time, and moved past them to seventh seed in the West. Gasol has another triple double with 17 points, 20 rebounds and 11 assists. Blake added 24 points, while Howard had 16 points and 18 rebounds. Nash missed his eighth game.
D'Antoni was appointed West Region Coach of the Month after the Lakers advanced 7-1 in April. They finished the season 28-12 after going down to 17-25 in January on their team meeting day in Memphis. Their defense also increased to 13 during the range, completing season 18 at 103.6 points per 100 treasure. The Lakers are expected to start five from Bryant, Nash, Howard, Gasol and World Peace starting together only seven times throughout the season and without registering victory. "The Lakers did not help much by making coaching changes and putting (D'Antoni) in that situation, which he's happy to take, but I think it's a bit harder than he thinks it will be," said Kupchak..
First round playoff exit
The Lakers face San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs. In Game 1, Howard scored 20 points and 15 rebounds, and Gasol added 16 points and 16 rebounds, but the Lakers did not fully utilize their game inside and lost 91-79. Nash returned after missing nine games and scoring 16 points. Meeks sprained his ankle in the game and missed Game 2. The Lakers shot better, but so did the Spurs as Los Angeles lost 102-91. Jordan Hill returns and plays for the first time since his injury in January. However, Blake left the game after suffering a right hamstring injury and was expressed indefinitely. Nash also re-injured his hamstring but continued to play in the game;
With Nash and Blake in Game 3, the Lakers instead started the second year of guards Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock. In the beginning of his first playoff, Goudelock scored a career-high 20 points, but the Lakers lost 120-89 at Staples for their worst playoff defeat in franchise history. Gasol added his third triple-double in six matches. Because of another Lakers injury, World Peace played despite running with discomfort after the fluid flowed from the cyst behind his left knee. He was ruled out of Game 4 along with Nash, Blake, and Meeks. They were swept by Spurs after losing Game 4, 103-82. Howard was ejected from the game with more than nine minutes remaining in the third quarter after receiving a second technical error. Shortly after, the quiet home crowd roared as Bryant limped into the bench, making his first appearance on the pitch since ripping his Achilles. Gasol received a standing ovation as he left the game with 3:08 left. The Lakers came out in the opening round of the playoffs for the first time since 2007, and had a first-half opening sweep since 1967.
Standings
- Notes
- c Ã, - Receive home court advantage for the conference playoff
- y Ã, - Legalized title standings
- x Ã, - Winning playoff place
- o Ã, - Removed from playoff battle
Game log
Preseason
Regular season
Playoffs
Player stats
Awards, notes, and milestones
Awards
Week/Month
All-Star
- Kobe Bryant was selected as the All-Star starter for the 15th consecutive time.
- Dwight Howard made his seventh consecutive All-Star appearance in the NBA All-Star Game 2013 held in Houston.
All-NBA
Bryant was named the All-NBA First Team for the 11th time of his career, the 15th overall selection. Howard was named for the Third Team.
Recordings
- In a March 12, 2013 game against his former team, Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard tied his own NBA record of 39 free throws. He made 25 out of 39 attempts. He has previously set the league mark with 39 free throws in the game while playing for Orlando Magic vs. Golden State Warriors on January 12, 2012.
- Dwight Howard led the league in a defensive rebound for his sixth consecutive season and his sixth overall season in his career, both league records. He leads the NBA in a defensive rebound every season starting with the 2007-08 season.
Milestones
- November 18: Pau Gasol scored his career 15,000 points in a game against Houston Rockets.
- December 5: Kobe Bryant scored 30,000 points of his career in a win against the New Orleans Hornets.
- December 5: Metta World Peace becomes the 6th player to record 12,000 points, 4,000 rebounds, 1,500 steals, and 1,000 3-pointers made in a win against New Orleans.
- January 8, 2013: Steve Nash becomes the fifth player in NBA history to achieve 10,000 career assists.
- January 20: Dwight Howard records his 1000th career assistant in loss against the Toronto Raptors.
- March 30: Bryant passes through Wilt Chamberlain's career total of 31,419 in a win against the Sacramento Kings to become fourth-highest scorer in NBA history.
- April 17: Howard becomes the youngest player in NBA history to achieve 9,000 career rebounds in a win against the Houston Rockets.
Transactions
Overview
Additions
Reductions
Trading
Initial draft
Credit
Second round of 2013 draft selection from Memphis
Won both Memphis second round of 2013 himself to L.A. The Lakers (top 55 are covered in the 2013 Plan). If the second round of the second round of polls in Memphis is in the top 55 selections, the Memphis obligation to L.A. The Lakers will be extinguished. [LA. Lakers - Memphis, February 18, 2009]
Debit
2013 first round draft pick to Phoenix
LA. The Lakers will send the most unfavorable of their first-round options (top-14 protected), first-round selection round 1 in Cleveland alone, Sacramento's own first-choice (top-13 protected) and Miami 2013's first round selection to Phoenix. If the first-round pick L.A. Lakers' in a top-14 choice, Phoenix will automatically receive a first-round pick L.A. Lakers'. [LA. Lakers-Phoenix, 7/11/2012]
Selection of first-round draft 2013 to Cleveland
Cleveland has the right to change the most disadvantage of their own 2013 first round selection, first round selection of February 1, 2013 (top-10 protected) and the first round selection of Sacramento 2013 itself (top-13 protected) with LA Lakers 2013 self select first round (top-14 protected). If L.A. The Lakers have the first round selection of 2013 is # 1 # 14, then L.A. The Lakers to Cleveland will be extinguished. [Cleveland-L.A. Lakers, 15/3/2012]
2nd round of rotation options to Dallas
Dallas have the right to change their own 2013 spin options with a choice of the second round of L.A. Lakers in 2013. [Dallas-L.A. Lakers, 11/12/2011]
The selection of the second round draft to Minnesota
The L.A. The Lakers themselves chose the 2014 round to Minnesota via Phoenix. [LA. Lakers-Phoenix, 7/11/2012 and then Minnesota-New Orleans-Phoenix, 7/27/2012]
First round of draft draft 2015 to Phoenix
LA. The Lakers have a choice of the first round in 2015 to Phoenix. [LA. Lakers-Phoenix, 7/11/2012]
Second round draft selection for Orlando
The L.A. The Lakers themselves chose the 2nd round draft 2 for Orlando (Top-40 Protected). If The L Lakers' own pick of the 2nd round of 2015 is in the top-40 option, then the L.A. Lakers' to Orlando will be put out. [Denver - L.A. Lakers - Orlando - Philadelphia, 8/10/2012]
2017 first draft pick to Orlando
The L.A. Lakers themselves 2017 voted the first draft 1st round to Orlando (Top-5 Protected). If The L.A. The Lakers themselves 2017 selects the first round is in the top-5 option, then L.A. The Lakers will deliver their own second-round pick in 2017 and 2018 to Orlando. [LA. Lakers - Orlando, 10/08/2012]
Note
References
External links
- 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics at basketball-reference.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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