Lakers stumble through NBA’s toughest first-week schedule

The Lakers have started the season 0-4, losing by an average of 17 points a game.

Injuries have played a role, but then so has the schedule.

Of the 30 teams in the NBA, the Lakers are the only franchise to have already played four games -- and they played them in the first five days of the season, with two back-to-back sets.

Also, all four games have been against playoff-caliber opponents, teams whose combined record was 10-2 before Monday. The Lakers opened the season at home against the Houston Rockets (currently 3-0) and played the next night on the road against the Phoenix Suns (2-1). They played the Clippers (2-1) on Friday and at the Golden State Warriors (3-0) Saturday.

The Lakers will pick right back up on Tuesday with a rematch against the Suns at Staples Center.

The team will finally get a break after that, with no games until they host the Charlotte Hornets (1-2) on Sunday.

“We’ve got four days before our next game after tomorrow. Wednesday will be a big-time film session,” Coach Byron Scott said after practice Monday. “Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we’re going to get after it and start going over the things and reinforce our principles.

“It’s a window of opportunity where we can work on a bunch of things, clean up a bunch of things but also add a few things.”

Eventually the Lakers’ schedule normalizes, with just 16 sets of games on back-to-back nights remaining, and no extended trips -- their longest is five games, and there’s only one of those. The team also benefits this season from playing only three games each against the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Rockets.

The Lakers are hoping to get Ryan Kelly (hamstring) back Tuesday. He worked through enough of practice Monday to be listed by the team as probable. Nick Young (thumb) could miss another 11-16 games, while Steve Nash (back) and Julius Randle (broken leg) are both out for the year.

The Lakers need to find a way to be competitive while short-handed, despite the schedule, if they hope to stay afloat in the Western Conference.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.