15 Dec 2012

Lakers under pressure after slow start to season

11:22 am on 15 December 2012

The Los Angeles Lakers, one of the National Basketball Association's glamour teams, is struggling and no-one is sure why, or how to fix it.

The Lakers, a team packed with superstars and a history steeped with success, are off to their worst start to a season in nearly two decades.

They have won just nine of their first 23 games to lie 12th in the Western Conference standings, leaving players and coaches scratching their heads to find a solution.

Mike D'Antoni, who took over as head coach last month, has borne the brunt of the criticism. He has introduced a new system of playing, with the focus on attack, that his players are struggling to adapt to.

On Friday, the Lakers gave up an astonishing 41 points in the first quarter of their game against the New York Knicks.

They fought back to regain some respect but still lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.