re: [Celtics' Stuff ] Christmas comes early for Lakers - NBA Insider

[CeltsSteve@xxxxxxx]

Looks like tonight's contest against Orlando is a "must win".
    
CeltsSteve  


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Five toughest December schedules
 
25. <A HREF="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=lac";>Los Angeles Clippers</A>
Strength of Schedule: 18 (5 road, 13 quality)
The Clippers will play a total of 16 games in the month of December, and 13 
of them will be against teams that currently have a winning record. Six of 
those opponents are lined up in succession, followed by a brutal swing through 
Texas that begins with back-to-back games in Houston and Dallas, then ends in San 
Antonio. They do have a lot of home games, including three against the Cavs, 
Bucks and Raptors, But if they lose those, this could be one sorry New Year's 
Eve -- especially considering they're already on a four-game skid with two 
Nov. games to play. 

26. <A HREF="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mem";>Memphis Grizzlies</A>
Strength of Schedule: 18 (9 road, 9 quality)
The upstart Griz have proven they can win on the road. They've proven they 
can win against good opponents. But now we'll get to see if they can win on the 
road against good opponents. Memphis plays two sets of 
four-games-in-five-days. You heard right. From Dec. 12-16, the Grizzlies have four games (two on the 
road). Then from Dec. 19-23 they have another four, three on the road. Get 
through that and they still have the Mavs and Pacers on the road. 

27. <A HREF="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=hou";>Houston Rockets</A>
Strength of Schedule: 20 (7 road, 13 quality)
On Friday, Dec. 19, the Rockets host the Clippers, and they better take a 
breath there. Because other than that, Houston's only other game against a losing 
team is on the road on the second day of a back-to-back at the tail-end of a 
three-game road trip. And just to get into December they have to play eight of 
10 on the road, including a five-game trip, and, well, Merry Christmas -- you 
get the Lakers on national TV in L.A. on Christmas day and play the next 
night in Denver. 

28. <A HREF="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=bos";>Boston Celtics</A>
Strength of Schedule: 20 (8 road, 12 quality)
Currently, Boston is 2-0 against Western Conference opponents, including a 
big win over the Kings at home. But don't count on that being the case come 
2004. The Celtics face 11 of their 17 December games against West foes, including 
the Lakers, Mavs and T-Wolves. 

29. <A HREF="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=pho";>Phoenix Suns</A>
Strength of Schedule: 20 (10 road, 10 quality)
There are, at last look, 31 days in December. The Suns will play on 17 of 
them, with 10 games on the road and 10 part of back-to-back scenarios. By Dec. 
14, the Suns already will have played nine games (six of them on the road), with 
another eight from Dec. 16-29 (four of them on the road). And these road 
trips range from Boston to Miami to Seattle to L.A. I guess Maine, Alaska, Cuba 
and Tijuana were all booked. That's 17 games in 29 days involving 11 different 
airports (assuming all the Suns stay in Phoenix for the holidays). Sure they 
have Christmas and New Year's off -- they have to sleep sometime.