Only three road games in March for Lakers as NBA releases second-half schedule

The NBA released the second half of its schedule for the 2020-21 NBA season — a schedule that is still flexible in the sense that the ongoing pandemic has forced postponements and rescheduling of games throughout the first 30 games.

Here’s what it means for the Lakers:

• The Lakers come back from the break on March 12 to host the Pacers at Staples Center.

• They play only three road games in March — against the Warriors, Suns and Pelicans.

• The 76ers come to L.A. to play the Lakers on March 25.

• The Lakers and the Clippers meet on April 1 for the first time since the opener.

• The Lakers begin a five-game road trip in Tampa against the Raptors on April 6. (Technically, it’s a seven-game trip that starts in Sacramento, but the second game is in L.A. against the Clippers.) On that trip, they’ll play the Brooklyn Nets on a Saturday night national TV game.

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• Following that trip, the Lakers will host Boston (April 15) before two games against Utah (April 17, 19)

• The Lakers play back-to-back road games in Dallas starting on April 22 as part of a four-game road trip that also goes to Orlando and Washington.

• The Lakers finish the second half of the season on May 16 in New Orleans.

• The Lakers have eight sets of back-to-back games in the second half of the season.

• They’ll play on national TV (ABC/ESPN/TNT) 15 times.

Lakers schedule

(National TV listed)

MARCH
12, vs. Indiana; 15, at Golden State (ESPN); 16, vs. Minnesota; 20, vs. Atlanta; 21, at Phoenix; 23, at New Orleans (TNT); 25, vs. Philadelphia (TNT); 26, vs. Cleveland; 28, vs. Orlando; 31, vs. Milwaukee (ESPN).

APRIL
2, at Sacramento; 4, at Clippers (ABC); 6, at Toronto (in Tampa Bay); 8, at Miami (TNT); 10, at Brooklyn (ABC); 12, at New York (ESPN); 13, at Charlotte; 15, vs. Boston (TNT); 17, vs. Utah (ESPN); 19, vs. Utah (ESPN); 22, at Dallas (TNT); 24, at Dallas (ABC); 26, at Orlando; 28, at Washington.

MAY
2, vs. Toronto; 3, vs. Denver (ESPN); 6, at Clippers (TNT); 7, at Portland; 9, vs. Phoenix; 11, vs, New York; 12, vs. Houston; 15, at Indiana; 16, at New Orleans.