Los Angeles Lakers vs. Brooklyn Nets: Last-Minute Buzz Ahead of Friday's Matchup
Both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets have the opportunity to break their winless streaks on Friday night at the Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m. ET. With Week 2 of the season coming to a close, each team is in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory and is desperate to log in its first win of the year.
The Lakers have managed to make headlines several times this past week for a variety of reasons, from verbal altercations to Kobe Bryant not really feeling himself at the moment. None of these headlines, however, have been about winning. They are going into Friday's game with an 0-4 record.
On the offensive end, the Lakers are doing pretty well, with a team average of 106.8 points. They also have scoring options in D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson in the event that Bryant fails to find a productive rhythm.
Where the Lakers suffer the most is on the defensive end. So far this season, they rank worst in the league in points allowed per game at 116.8 points per game, per Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
The Brooklyn Nets' best scoring option is Brook Lopez, who is averaging 20 points and eight rebounds. As a unit, they are scoring 89.8 points per game but allowing teams an average of 104.4 points, per Pincus. They desperately need to remain ahead of the Lakers for most of the game if they have any hopes of snapping their 0-5 losing streak.
This may be a window of opportunity for the Lakers, where they can take advantage of the Nets' lack of firepower to steal a victory.
""We'll probably play better on the road," Bryant said, perhaps conveniently forgetting a 132-114 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the Lakers' lone game away from home. "Because the energy of playing on the road and getting into the environment where it's just us against the world."
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There is no doubt that fans are just as frustrated as the teams themselves. Normally a game with teams holding this kind of record would not garner much attention. However, a season turnaround is on the line, and fans of both teams are more than ready for a win.
"Nets better beat the Lakers on Friday. Cause if they don't, this could be 2009-10 all over again.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) November 3, 2015"
