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The Los Angeles Lakers better get used to playing in their purple road uniforms, as the next two and a half weeks are filled with away games, beginning Saturday night with a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. The Lakers play eight of their next nine games on the road, which means they need to turn around their 1-6 road record, and fast.
The Lakers play Milwaukee on Saturday then at Minnesota on Sunday night before returning home to host Charlotte on Tuesday. After that, the Lakers won't see Staples Center for two weeks, embarking on their annual Grammy road trip that will this year take them to six cities in 10 days, including two sets of back-to-back games.
One thing the Lakers have had this week is rest, a well needed respite after opening their season with 18 games in 29 days. The Lakers held their first full-contact practice since training camp in the two days off they had before battling the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday, and were able to earn a comeback victory in the fourth quarter over their crosstown rivals. The Lakers had two more days of rest heading into Saturday's contest in Milwaukee, but will it be enough to snap the Lakers' three-game road losing streak?
Milwaukee has been the opposite of the Lakers, playing a road heavy schedule in the early going. The Bucks are 4-2 at home, though they have lost their last two at the Bradley Center, and are just 3-9 on the road. Milwaukee lost 107-100 to the Chicago Bulls Friday night at the United Center and this is the third game in four nights for Milwaukee.
Bucks center Andrew Bogut fractured his left ankle on Wednesday against Houston and is expected to miss two to three months.
The Lakers have struggled mightily offensively this season, failing to score 100 points in all but one of 19 games this season. The Lakers have scored under 100 points in 12 consecutive games, tied for their longest streak in the shot clock era. Head coach Mike Brown has downplayed the lack of scoring, noting that the Lakers have deliberately slowed down the pace. But the Lakers have been in the middle of the pack in offensive efficiency, ranking 16th in the NBA scoring 102.3 points per 100 possessions.
Saturday night's 5:30 p.m. PST contest will be televised by KCAL. For more news and information on Lakers basketball, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.