LOS ANGELES -- Not only will the Los Angeles Lakers try to start a new winning streak when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, they will look to start a new sellout streak, as well.
For the first time since the 2006-07 season, the Lakers failed to bring in a capacity crowd Tuesday for their 116-95 win against the New Orleans Pelicans, snapping a sellout streak of 320 consecutive games (including the playoffs). The attendance for the Pelicans game was 18,426, about 500 short of the full house of 18,997 that Staples Center had become accustomed to hosting for nearly seven years of Lakers games.
Coincidentally, the last time the Lakers failed to sell out at home also came against New Orleans on Dec. 6, 2006, the season that New Orleans and Oklahoma City split time as the home of the Hornets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Eight teams -- the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder -- have sold out all of their home games played so far this season.
The Lakers are the top road draw in the league this season, however, with teams that are hosting Pau Gasol and company actually selling 100.3 percent of their total capacity through Los Angeles' first five away games.
The Lakers have a limited number of tickets, in various price ranges, available for most of their home games the remainder of the season, according to a team spokesman.
