Today my Lakers begin the quest for 16 wins and a third straight NBA championship. If they can pull it off, it will be the 17th championship in franchise history and the third time the franchise has one three straight (1952-54, 2000-02, and 2009-?).
The team has limped its way into the post season, similar to the way they finished last year. They had a chance in the last couple of weeks of the regular season to catch San Antonio for the top spot in the West, and there was a possibility that they could finish with the second best record in the NBA behind Chicago. Instead, they followed up a 17-1 stretch after the All Star break with a flat finish to take the #2 seed. They face New Orleans in the first round and if they make the Finals, they would only have the home court advantage if a team other than Chicago or Miami were to win in the East.
So 4 series of 7 games each over the next two months. That's 28 games to get 16 wins. Let the wringing of hands begin.