Los Angeles Lakers: Toughest 5-game stretch in 2017-18

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images /
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Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images /

Last three games

In between the two Golden State games sits a trip to Texas to take on the Houston Rockets and arguably the best backcourt in the NBA. There’s nowhere to hide Lonzo on defense with James Harden and Chris Paul in the game. Whoever Lonzo is guarding between Harden and Paul will most likely be the one running the high screen and roll.

Houston should stay towards the top of the league in scoring, but have improved defensively on paper with Paul and P.J. Tucker joining the team. Paul will likely embrace defending Lonzo on the other end of the court. Another up-tempo game awaits in Houston that will be difficult, but entertaining at the least.

They get one night to rest before their trip to the Bay Area to take on Golden State again. They love exciting their home crowd and rarely lose a game at Oracle Arena. This is the toughest game on the schedule.

The five-game slate ends with a quick trip home to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. This is the second night of a back-to-back and the backcourt of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum present another night of troubles. Once again, there is nowhere to hide Lonzo as Portland will attack whoever he is defending.

At least these two are a step down defensively from Houston and Golden State, and the big man matchup between Jusuf Nurkic and Brook Lopez will be bruising and beautiful all in one. But Portland is a strong team that presents some problems for the Lakers.