Week in preview: January 24 - January 30周前瞻：1月24日-1月30日
Two of the Lakers' three opponents are above .500, a trend which will continue throughout the rest of the regular season. 湖人的三个对手中两个胜率在50%以上，这种趋势将一直延续到赛季结束.
With the schedule growing increasingly difficult, the Lakers will need to continue bringing the A-Game displayed against the Nuggets in Denver. 随着时间不断的过去，湖人需要继续将客场的比赛打的像在丹佛一样.
This week is as good a time as any to build a steady foundation.本周是个好的机会来奠定一个牢固的基础.
Game of the Week 本周比赛
Sunday vs. Celtics, 12:30 pm PT 星期日 VS 凯尔特人，12：30 pm PT
With all due respect to a Christmas Day game against the Evil Super Team hyped as containing the fate of western civilization in it's balance, this is the biggest regular season game the Lakers will have played to date. 用应有的尊重去面对圣诞大战的超级球队以保证西部的平衡，这是湖人本赛季最大的对手.
Even more than contests against the Heat, the Thunder or the surging Spurs, a date with the Celtics, quite simply, is the one matters most, and beyond the juicy plot lines immediately jumping to mind: 尽管有更多如热火，雷霆或者马刺之类的强队，提到凯尔特人，将会非常重要，会有很多情形跳入脑海：
Beyond the inherent rivalry, reborn after two decades of stagnation with two meetings in the last three finals . . . 除了固有的竞争，重生之后的两支球队在过去的三届总决赛中两次相遇...
Kobe and the Lakers can never expect an easy contest against the Celtics. 科比和湖人不能指望与凯尔特人的比赛会很轻松.
Beyond Kendrick Perkins' bold claim the Celtics would have beaten the Lakers if he'd been healthy (which is certainly reasonable, if fairly shortsighted, considering how easily the same could be said about the Lakers in 2008 with Andrew Bynum available) . . . 除了帕金斯敢大胆的声称凯尔特人击败了湖人，如果他一直保持健康（这显然是合理的，照近的来说，这一说法2008年的拜纳姆也有.）
Beyond the presence of a certain 7-1, 325 monster whose history with the Lakers (and Kobe Bryant) is equal parts glorious and antagonist . . . 不要提对方阵中那个7尺1寸，325磅的大怪物与湖人（还有科比）之间那悠久的血汗史... All hype aside, this is the biggest game of the regular season for the Lakers for reasons more sobering than sexy. The Lakers haven't been playing like a team with rings on a consistent basis and the Celtics are again serious championship contenders. 除了新闻炒作以外，这是湖人本赛季最重要的比赛.湖人没有始终如一的打的像个团队一样，他和凯尔特人是最有力的冠军竞争者.
Yes, the individual matchups intrigue: Kobe vs. the Celtics strong-side team defense. 是的，个人对决：科比vs凯尔特人的整体团队防守. Rajon Rondo vs. whichever Laker(s) guard him. 拉简-朗多vs湖人任何一个后卫. Pau Gasol and/or Lamar Odom vs. Kevin Garnett. 加索尔/奥多姆vs加内特. Andrew Bynum and/or Gasol vs. Shaq. 拜纳姆/加索尔vs奥尼尔. Ron Artest v. Paul Pierce. Ray Allen vs. his wildly erratic shooting against the Lakers last season. 阿泰vs皮尔斯.雷阿伦vs他那上赛季对阵湖人不稳定的投篮.
Shrek and Donkey vs. a Matt Barnes-less bench. 内特和大宝贝vs巴恩斯等板凳.
And on down the line. 然后这样延续下去.
But at the end of the day, this game matters for the Lakers because a loss here, particularly a bad one, wouldn't shake the Lakers to their core, but could certainly provide a reality check about how much work lies ahead in order to keep the O'Brien in Los Angeles. 这一天的结束时候，这一场比赛对湖人非常重要，就算是输了也不会动摇球队的核心，但是能检验一下球队，还需要做什么，以便能保证奥布莱恩杯能继续属于洛杉矶.
And if it didn't, that's an even bigger reason for concern. 如果没有，那将是一个更大值得关注的原因.
Other Games 其他比赛
Tuesday vs. Jazz, 7:30 pm PT 周二 VS 爵士，7.30 pm PT
During their first meeting at Salt Lake, the Lakers fell short in what I felt was a fairly good overall effort. 在第一次造访盐湖城时，湖人没有足够的新意，但是我认为这是一个不错的整体努力的结果.
Recent four-game skid notwithstanding, the Jazz have enjoyed a quality season, and Energy Solutions Arena is never an easy place for the visitors. 尽管最近爵士四连败，但是他们一直保持他们的活力，能源中心不是能随便让游客参观的地方.
And most importantly, Bynum was still in street clothes, robbing the Lakers of the full complement of length typically overwhelming the Jazz over the last few seasons. 然而最重要的是，拜纳姆一直在穿着西装，阵容整齐的湖人过去几个赛季一直压着爵士.
The rematch will feature a purple and gold three-headed monster, and beyond the overall effect of size intact, I'm curious to see how the matchup between Bynum and Al Jefferson shakes out. 第二次比赛将会好好地检验紫金内线的三头怪物，而我倒要好好看看拜纳姆和阿尔-杰弗逊的激烈对抗.
How will Big Al succeed against the Lakers with Bynum in the fold? 艾尔杰弗逊将如何成功的在内线面对拜纳姆?
Based on pure skills, unless Jefferson has improved significantly in his time under Jerry Sloan, Drew is considerably more capable as a defender of shutting down Al than vice versa. 除去基本的技术，除非杰弗逊已经在斯隆手下取得了明显的提高，否则安德鲁作为一名有技术的防守者将封死杰弗逊.
On the flip side, Jefferson remains a handful and Bynum has encountered his share of struggles these days avoiding whistles. 但是另一方面，杰弗逊是少数能和拜纳姆抗衡的球员，所以拜纳姆要避免更多的哨子. He is averaging 3.4 fouls per game in 27 minutes throughout January, and has collected four or more in four of his last five games. 他在一月份27分钟的时间内场均得到了3.4次犯规，而且他在过去的5场比赛中获得了至少4次以上.
Drew's effectiveness against Jefferson will obviously be dictated by his ability to stay on the floor, so he'll need to figure out a way to defend without racking personals. 拜纳姆的效率将绝对杰弗逊在场上的发挥，所以他需要找到一种办法来避免个人犯规. And FYI, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reports "lack of effort" chief among the problems cited during the Jazz's current malaise. Similar to the prognosis in Big D last week when the Mavericks were dropping games left and right. 仅供参考，克里斯曼克尼斯体育画报指出“缺乏动力”是湖人目前的主要问题.类似于上周面对小牛时的情况.
Sound familiar to anyone? My point isn't to excuse the two-time defending champions during the periods when their engagement, mentally or physically, clearly wasn't up to snuff. 听懂我的意思了吗?我的意思是说两届卫冕冠军无论是在身体或者精神上都没达到标准.
I just think it's good to remind the Laker Nation every now and then how their team isn't unique in this shortcoming, because it can be difficult to remember at times. 我只是很高兴的提醒湖人们不时的记住这一点，因为他们总是很难记住他. Friday vs. Kings 星期五 vs. 国王
At the season's outset, I pegged the Kings as a team unlikely to make the playoffs, but at least on the right track towards improvement. 在这个赛季开始的时候我预测国王作为一个团队将有可能打进季后赛，而且至少是在正常的轨道中前进.
I got half of the prediction correct. 我有一半的预测是正确的.
Sacto remains one of two teams with single digits in the win column (Hello, Cleveland!), and their 2-8 clip over the last ten games indicates a tunnel with little if any light at its end. 萨克拉门托仍然是两支垫底的球队之一（你好，克利夫兰），他们过去的10场比赛拿到了2胜8负毫无希望的战绩.
The red flags over DeMarcus Cousins' immaturity appear warranted, and when it comes to the rook's matchup against the Lakers, forget how well he plays against Gasol or Bynum. 德马库斯-考辛斯表兄弟表示他们将在内线面对加索尔和拜纳姆.
The fifth overall pick was outplayed by Derrick Caracter when last the Kings graced the Staples Center floor. 第五十顺位被选中的外线球员德里克-卡拉克特上一次在斯坦普斯对阵国王的比赛中表现不错.
The key for the Kings will likely be the efficiency of Tyreke Evans, and based on an admittedly small sample size, the Lakers are in good shape. 对阵国王的关键可能是泰瑞克-埃文斯的效率，所以湖人必须保持一个良好的状态. Evans' career splits against the Lakers feature some of his least impressive numbers and talented a player as he is, the muscular Sacto combo guard is the ideal matchup for the equally physical Ron Artest. 埃文斯职业生涯对阵湖人拥有着令人印象深刻不错的数据，他是一名拥有强健肌肉的萨克拉门托后卫，就像阿泰斯特.
