LOS ANGELES -- Staples Center was busy Tuesday night. The arena that serves as home to the Lakers, Clippers and Kings was full of news. There was also plenty of history being made -- good and bad.
In the second quarter of the Lakers' 145-130 loss to the Houston Rockets, Steve Nash recorded his 10,335th assist to move into sole possession of third place on the NBA's all-time assists list.
Nash, who didn't see the floor at all in the second half after experiencing a "setback," later announced he was probably done for the season.
In the second half, a report surfaced that the team agreed to a multi-year extension with general manager Mitch Kupchak. This report was later confirmed to FOXSportsWest.com.
Nash's record and Kupchak's extension were good news on a night that otherwise turned into a dark cloud for the organization.
Steve Nash passed Mark Jackson for third all-time in assists on Tuesday, but it was hardly easy
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The loss, the 53rd of the season for the Lakers, is the most in franchise history since moving to Los Angeles, thus making this officially the worst season in L.A. Lakers history with four games to play. The loss also ties the 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers (19-53) for most in franchise history.
"That is (tough to deal with)," said Lakers guard Nick Young, who finished with 32 points on the night off of the bench. "It is what it is. What can we do about it now? It's over."
The NBA season, for any team, is always filled with ups and downs. 2013-14 for the Lakers has definitely had it's lionshare of downs.
Tuesday night was not exempt. The Lakers surrendered a season-high 49 points in the third quarter to the Rockets.
Houston shot 75 percent from the field during that quarter and had 115 points on the scoreboard at quarter's end.
Injuries, of course, have played a number on the team this season.
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Lakers players have missed a combined 289 games this season due to injury.
On Tuesday night, even with Jordan Farmar and Nash returning to the lineup following injuries of their own, the Lakers were only able to dress ten players. That was down to nine by halftime.
Being a part of the worst team in LA Lakers franchise history isn't anything anyone in the team's locker room wants to be associated with, but with everything that's gone wrong this season, it makes it slightly easier to deal with.
"It's a season with an asterisk on it," Farmar said. "We haven't had a fair shot at it from a players' standpoint, from the coaching standpoint. It's the first season, in what, 18 years that Kobe hasn't been a part of. Pau's been out for extended periods of time. I've been out. Steve Nash was out. Steve Blake was out when he was here. And then even the guys that came in for him, they're out now.
"I mean, you can't really judge how our season's been based on all the adversity we've had."
The NBA history books may not be able to tell the difference.
