Los Angeles Lakers Seek Revenge Against Cleveland Cavaliers

Sports News - January 21st, 2010 - Written By John

It wasn't just any loss. Losses don't incite fans to throw foam fingers onto the court and boo every day. It was a statement that the Los Angeles Lakers were behind the curve in the NBA, falling miserably short to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 102-87 on Christmas Day - at home, no less.

And now, the two best teams in the league grapple for position atop the power rankings as Los Angeles travels to Cleveland.

And make no mistake about it: the Lakers surely have a score to settle.

"We didn't like that Christmas game," Lakers center Pau Gasol said. "It was very disappointing on our part. We've got to try to get that ballgame when we play them again. We need to do that. You never want a team to get the confidence they can beat you, especially when it's somebody you might see down the road in the playoffs."

But the Lakers certainly didn't help their cause. LeBron James and Mo Williams combined for 54 points and Los Angeles was suckered into several technical fouls, inciting a small riot by the home crowd.

Because of the forgettable experience on the road, and Cleveland's impressive 15-3 home mark, the Cavaliers are favored by 2 1/2 by BetUS, with a total of 193. But if Cleveland is able to win, it may not be as convincing as before. It is 2-6 ATS in it's last eight home games.

After three-straight wins, the trip to Quiken Loans Arena will be the start of an eight-game road trip by the Lakers, the longest of the year so far. The slate is more than half the amount of road games Los Angeles has played this entire year (15), allowing Kobe Bryant and the gang to the league's best record (32-9).

That easy start has drawn criticism of the Lakers, and begun assertions that the Cavs, who have already had 25 road games, are in fact the top team in the league. And the Christmas Day bashing didn't help LA's argument.

"That Christmas game was tough, and then that whole day wasn't too good for me, anyway," said forward Ron Artest. "We feel like we're a better team now than when we played them before."

It might help Los Angeles that Williams will be out for the game. He led the Cavs with 28 points the last time around, and is second on the team with 16.9 per game. But Shaquille O'Neal will still be hanging around the basket and has finally found a place in the Cavs formula, blocking shots and steering drives away.

Bryant found that out the hard way in the first meeting, bouncing off the beefy center several times without even budging him, and missed 21 of his 32 shots. He did finish with a game-high 35 points, but couldn't get the easy lay-ups he has gotten since or before.

"(Shaq) definitely had a presence in the game," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "I do know it was a factor on Kobe. (Shaq) knocked him down about four times without a call."

Los Angeles had won two-straight before the Christmas Day fiasco, but it was Cleveland that dominated before that. The Cavs won five-straight from 2006-2008, and has won six of the last seven. The Lakers only crossed the 100-point mark once during that streak, a 114-108 road loss in 2007.