The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers did not play each other one single time in December, January, February or March. They’ve played twice in April, and strangely have blown each other out on the other’s home court.
The series will get even more interesting as Kobe Bryant is set to return for the Lakers (40-23) from a seven-game absence to face the Spurs for the first time this season in Friday’s best game.
Bryant leads the league in scoring with 28.1 points per game, but the Lakers managed to win five of seven games with him out of the lineup.
The two teams have split the series over the past two seasons, but due to the truncated nature of this season, the winner of tonight’s game will take the season series.
The Lakers have a one-game lead over the Clippers for the Pacific Division title and third seed in the West.
Only three games remain on their schedule in the season’s final seven days.
Pau Gasol is coming off his best game of the season in a 99-87 win over Golden State with a triple-double which included 22 points, 11 rebounds, a season-high 11 assists and three blocks while committing zero turnovers.
Andrew Bynum was also stellar, scoring 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
Since joining the Lakers, Ramon Sessions has had the third-highest 3-point shooting percentage.
San Antonio (45-16) holds a 1/2 game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the Western Conference and trail the Chicago Bulls by one game for the best record in the league.
A win tonight would extend the Spurs’ current winning streak to six games.
It would also add to their 25-5 home record, the best mark in the Western Conference.
They dispatched Sacramento 127-102 in the last game despite playing without Tim Duncan who received the night off.
The team hopes to see an improved Stephen Jackson moving forward.
San Antonio plays five games in seven nights to conclude the season, but only two of those games are against teams over .500.
The Spurs have won 33 of their last 40 games, the best mark in the league during that span.
James Park is a regular contributor to Sheridanhoops.com. You can follow him on twitter @NBATupark.