Lakers-Raptors: Andrew Bynum and Company Dine on Fowl in 112-99 Win

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The Los Angeles Lakers are that much closer to the best season start in their long history.

After defeating the Toronto Raptors 112-99, they are currently 14-1. If they win their next three games, they will take bragging rights for best start in Lakers’ history.

The 2001-2002 Lakers team went 16-1, and eventually won a championship. This season’s Lakers still have 67 games to play.

When I say “if,” it's not a very big “if.”  Their next three games are not exactly against the cream of the crop. In fact collectively, Indiana, Philly, and Washington have won only one more game than the Lakers have. So I look at this more like a trip to the grocery store than a road trip.

Now, getting back to their victory over the Raptors. Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, and Andrew Bynum all had great games. Gasol scored a team-high 24 points. Big Drew came to play with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Mr. Consistent (Bryant) hit 23 points and seven assists with his eyes closed.

Lamar Odom had a very quiet game of three points and six assists despite the Lakers being plus-19 with him on the floor. Trevor Ariza had a great game with 14 points on six of 10 shooting.

The Lakers’ defense wasn't bad overall. They kept the Raps barely under 100 points, but there were a few lapses. It would have been nice to see the Lakers hold the Raptors, who were without Jermaine O'Neal, to around 85 or 90.

The Lakers did a great job on Chris Bosh, limiting his MVP campaign to 12 points, but Toronto had some nice balance with six players scoring double digits. The most notable was Anthony Parker, brother of WNBA star Candace Parker, who had 19 points on six of 12 shooting, including four for six from the three-point line.

The Lakers haven't had a very tough schedule to begin with.

They seemingly toy with teams and then step up the intensity in the second half, and to me that's a sign of complacency. Sure, with the ease at which they have been beating teams, some complacency is inevitable. But it's always safer to make defense a habit rather than a necessity to break the game open in the third or fourth quarter.

We all know that these Lakers have dynasty potential, but I am anxious to see how they take to the tougher schedule that begins later this month.