Pistons beat us November 14th - Next game lose to the Suns Pacers beat us December 2nd - Next game lose to the Celtics Kings beat us December 9th - Next game, ironically against us again, they lose Orlando Miami Hornets beat us January 6th - Next game lose to the Jazz Spurs beat us January 14th - Next game lose to the Sixers Orlando Bobcats beat us January 27th - Next game lose to the Blazers Utah Nuggets beat us February 27th - Next game lose to the Pacers Suns beat us March 1st - Next game lose to the Magic Blazers beat us March 9th - Next game lose to the Mavericks Sixers beat us March 17th - Next game lose to the Suns Hawks beat us March 29th - Next game lose to the Sixers Bobcats beat us March 21st - Next game lose to the Celtics Out of our 16 losses this year, 12 times the team that beat us, goes on to lose their next game. The only exceptions are the Miami Heat and the Utah Jazz, who have gone on to win their next game after beating us. And, the Orlando Magic. But ironically, they swept us 2-0 in the season series, and have won both their games after beating us.
The Blazers couldn't beat the Mavs if their lives depended on it. They're a bad example. I would wager, however, that most teams get so hyped up about playing the Lakers that they have a predictable let-down in their next game, especially if it is against a sub-500 team.
Adam Morrison said that Charlotte got extra hyped to play the Lakers because it was like their championship game. He said that when he was with Charlotte, the players were extra focused. They knew that they weren't going to be in the playoffs, so facing LA was like facing the best. They fed off the energy and emotion of playing an elite team and a player such as Kobe. I suspect that is what its like for a lot of average to sub-average teams facing us that we have problems agaist.
