The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing wonderfully since the All-Star break, winning six straight games. Today in San Antonio, they face a Spurs team that has been playing wonderfully all season, as the Spurs own the NBA's best record at 51-11, a virtual lock for the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. However, these two teams have been remarkably similar this season.
The Spurs have an ever so slight lead in offensive efficiency, at 1.116 points per possession, second in the NBA. The Lakers are third at 1.115 points per possession. In defensive efficiency, the Spurs allow 1.039 points per possession, seventh in the league, one spot ahead of the Lakers at 1.046 points per possession.
The Lakers have excelled in offensive rebounding, third in the league collecting 29.6% of available offensive boards. San Antonio, meanwhile, has been better on the defensive glass, tied for 11th in the league at 74.6% of available defensive boards, compared to the Lakers, who are 20th at 72.7%. The Spurs lead the NBA in three-point shooting, at 40.3%. The Lakers started the season on fire from beyond the arc, making 40.9% of their shots from distance through November, but have only made 33.0% in the 45 games since.
For more news and information on today's game, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.