Rest for Weary: Lakers Sure Are

Now, payback time.

The Lakers go from playing seven games in 11 days, and five in seven nights in the just-completed trip, to, of all things, rest.

They are off today, will practice Wednesday and then also have Thursday off for Christmas, per league rules. And when play does resume Friday against the Clippers, it will begin a stretch of five games over 10 days, all at home.

“The last, roughly, 30 days, we’ve played six games in nine days, five in eight and five in seven in another stretch,” Coach Del Harris said. “That’s asking a lot of a team, particularly one without their star player like Shaquille O’Neal. They’re responded terrifically.”