A troubling trend is emerging for the Los Angeles Lakers that goes beyond their player confrontations. This season, the Lakers have a record of 37-25 and are competing for the third seed in the Western Conference, with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs currently leading the standings. They have performed well when favored, recording a 29-9 overall record in such situations, including 16-5 at home and 13-4 on the road.

However, the flip side reveals a stark reality. The Lakers have a disappointing 8-16 record when classified as underdogs, with a woeful 2-7 mark at home and 6-9 on the road. Notably, they have failed to cover the spread in 12 consecutive games as underdogs.

Here’s a summary of their recent results:

• Dec. 23 @ Phoenix: Lakers (+3.5) lost by 24
• Dec. 25 vs. Houston: Lakers (+2.5) lost by 23
• Dec. 30 vs. Detroit: Lakers (+2.5) lost by 22
• Jan. 7 @ San Antonio: Lakers (+8.5) lost by 16
• Jan. 17 @ Portland: Lakers (+3.5) lost by 16
• Jan. 22 @ LA Clippers: Lakers (+2.5) lost by 8
• Jan. 28 @ Cleveland: Lakers (+3.5) lost by 30
• Feb. 1 @ New York: Lakers (+6.5) lost by 12
• Feb. 9 vs. OKC: Lakers (+6.5) lost by 9
• Feb. 10 vs. San Antonio: Lakers (+13.5) lost by 28
• Feb. 22 vs. Boston: Lakers (+1.5) lost by 22
• March 6 vs. Denver: Lakers (+5.5) lost by 7

These losses have been particularly damaging, with nine out of the twelve resulting in defeats by 10 or more points, and six games concluded with losses by over 20 points. Five of these losses took place at home, with an average margin of 20.8 points lost. While the opponents in those five games were among the top teams, it highlights the challenges the Lakers will face if they hope to succeed in the playoffs.

The last instance of the Lakers successfully covering the spread as underdogs occurred back on December 14, when they managed to defeat the Phoenix Suns by a slim margin as a 1.5-point favorite.