Lakers’ week in review

August is a common vacation month in the NBA, but that didn’t stop Lakers executives Mitch Kupchak and John Black from participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Kupchak was nominated by Dodgers executive Stan Kasten.

Byron Scott began a mentorship at Centennial High School in Compton; Jeremy Lin helped unveil his likeness at San Francisco’s Madame Tussauds.

The Lakers have a relatively friendly 82-game schedule through the 2014-15 season, with few games on consecutive nights and short road trips.

The team opens the season at Staples Center against the Houston Rockets, playing 10 of their first 17 games at home through a busy November schedule.

Two-thirds of December is on the road, but the competition level may be light. January could be a critical and difficult month for the Lakers.

February is the team’s lightest month, giving the Lakers a chance to climb in standings, setting up March to be the make-or-break stretch on the schedule.

If the franchise is close enough to make a playoff push, a home-heavy April might help -- although this Lakers roster will probably max out at 45 wins. It took 49 for the Dallas Mavericks to make the postseason last year.

Should the Lakers find themselves too far out in mid-March, the team may fizzle out through the final stretch. If so, 35 wins isn’t out of the question.

For the Lakers to have success, they’ll need Kobe Bryant to out-do Father Time after a down season with knee and Achilles injuries.

Finally, Shaquille O’Neal compared LeBron James to Bryant, but chose Dr. J [Julius Erving] as the “greatest.”

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