"This week, the Lakers only had to fly halfway across the country to play two games. Last week, they traveled from coast to coast only to get smoked by the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic.

The distance and the opposition won't be nearly as daunting this time.

Instead of facing two teams expected to contend for NBA supremacy, the Lakers will play two losing teams that nobody expects to challenge for a title. The Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves might not even make the playoffs.

Still, the road has been rocky for the Lakers, who have lost all but one of seven road games.

The Lakers' 10-2 home mark is one of the league's best, but their 1-6 record on the road is one of the worst. Their lone victory away from Staples Center was an overtime thriller over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 11 at Salt Lake City.

"We've got to come out firing and hitting and being aggressive on the road and being confident in what we're doing," power forward Pau Gasol said before the Lakers left Friday. "That's what you need to do to put yourself in a good position on the road.

"Let's see if we can be successful on the road, because we need to be." "