It has been an emotional week for the Lakers (26-29) since the passing of Dr. Jerry Buss. His loss seems to have given the team the type of motivation that could propel them to capture at least the 8th spot in the west.

Against Boston on Wednesday, Laker fans saw a totally different team out on the floor. Not only were the Lakers active the entire court, they were helping one another on defense and challenging nearly everything that gets near the hoop.

Offensively, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard were collaborating more on pick-and-rolls. More importantly, those plays proved to be devastating even for a solid defensive team like the Celtics. Pick-and-rolls between Nash and Howard were one of the biggest things that were anticipated happening a lot on offense this season. But as assistant coach Dan D'antoni pointed out, those two guys were taught different on how to execute those plays causing a bit of confusion between them. Not anymore.

It's anybody's guess why the Lakers (25-29) have yet to find that motivation to go out and lay everything on the floor to help themselves win games. The passing of the legendary Dr. Jerry Buss Monday morning could be that push they need to make a historical run in the remaining 28 games to make the playoffs. Laker fans are optimistic that their team will answer the bell now that the franchise had lost its leader.

However, we all know the Lakers can win games. It's how they win tonight against the hated Boston Celtics (28-25) that will tell the tale if this team truly believe in themselves that they have what it takes to rise for the challenge.

Like the Lakers, the Celtics spent much of the season trying to find themselves. They thought they finally did after stringing together 6 wins in the beginning of the new year but faltered again by dropping the very next 6 games. It wasn't until they found out that they had lost Rajon Rondo for the season that they came together and refused to let a huge loss dictate the rest of the year for them. They only lost twice since then.

Basketball didn't exist for me until a big kid nicknamed "Roy Roy" introduced me to the game by force after he had told me that the only way I was going to get my '69 Dodge Charger Matchbox that he had just snatched from me was to sink 2 free-throws. I was about 6 at that time and never held a basketball before. But I was a very competitive boy who thought this kid didn't know who he was dealing with.

So I walked to the line and didn't hesitate to chuck up my first shot. The ball probably traveled no more than 4 feet up in the air before it died and fell right into the waiting hands of Roy Roy standing well in front of the rim.

I did my best not to cry on my way home. Instead, I was determined to be the greatest shooter in the world...as soon as I can find myself a basketball.

Two weeks later, a friend of mine gave me his old, worn-out Spalding. A month later, I was already shooting above the key. Another month after that, I was working on my defense. I got good in basketball to a point that the bigger kids that come to the same community playground were offering me snacks just to get me on their team. Naturally, this led to new friends and eventually an invite to watch Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals between the Lakers and 76ers on TV.

The Lakers (24-28) return home after finishing a 4-3 effort in their longest road trip of the season. That road trip started in a shocking 92-86 loss to the Phoenix Suns (17-35), a team that was and still at the bottom of the Western Conference. Needless to say, the purple and gold are looking for some payback tonight.

The last 11 days away from Los Angeles didn't go through without some drama. A large part of that drama has been directed at Dwight Howard by everyone it seems. His heart and focus have been questioned due to his lack of sense of urgency when it comes to ignoring his sore shoulder and healing back to help the team win as much games as possible to get to the playoffs.

With 30 games left (including tonight), the Lakers are still 3 and a half games back of the 8th seed Rockets and a game and a half behind 9th place Trailblazers. Houston is playing pretty well right now having won 7 of their last 10 games. If L.A. is to catch them, they will need to win all of their remaining games at Staples Center.

Last night's humiliating loss to the Celtics was simply one of those nights when the Lakers (23-27) played terrible and Boston couldn't do anything wrong even if they tried. And just like clockwork, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard were blamed for the loss.

But Howard was aggressive on offense and on the boards despite clearly still favoring his right shoulder. Foul trouble prevented him from staying on the floor as long as the team needed him to be. Bryant had zero assists, the first since New Year's day against the 76ers, and of course, his shooting came under fire again as a perpetrator for the loss. Mind you that he only took 15 shots (making 9) and was actually dishing the ball to open teammates. The problem was none of the teammates he passed it to converted any of the shots they've taken. Can't have an assist without your teammate making the shot. Can't win a lot of games when the rest of the team shoots a combined 24-of-64 (37.5%) from the field.

The only true rivalry in the NBA will have its first showcase of the season in Beantown tonight. The Lakers (23-26) and Boston Celtics (25-23) are dealing with key injuries, but the purple and gold will most likely be without their 2 star big men.

The Celtics lost starting point guard Rajon Rondo for the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee against Atlanta. However, Boston has rallied since hearing the bad news and have yet to lose a game at 5-0 without their floor general.

The Lakers, however, have yet to get a break when it comes to injuries. They've already lost Jordan Hill to a season-ending hip injury early January, and Dwight Howard will probably miss his 4th consecutive game after re-aggravating his right shoulder in a loss to Phoenix. Now, they will miss Pau Gasol for at least 6 weeks due to a partial tear on the plantar fascia of his right foot.

As if the Lakers needed another adversity, CBS Sports' Ken Berger has reported via Twitter that 4-time All-Star Pau Gasol will miss at least 6 weeks after getting an MRI exam on his injured right foot in Boston.

Pau Gasol has a partial tear of his plantar fascia and is expected to be out at least six weeks, league source tells @cbssports.

— Ken Berger (@KBergCBS) February 6, 2013

The results reveal a partial tear of his plantar fascia (the thick tissue supporting the arch of the foot). Berger further reports that Gasol has an option for surgical repair on the torn tissue to have a chance at full recovery but it would add at least 4 more weeks to his timetable. Pau is said to expect to get a second opinion, perhaps when the Lakers return to Los Angeles.

In slo-motion:

At game speed:

It wasn't that long ago (2 weeks to be exact) when Laker fans could only guess what type of team garbed in Lakers jersey will come out of the locker room. There are nights when the Lakers are so engaged that it looks like they're starting to come around. And then there are other games where the Lakers are so much in disarray that their fans could do nothing but sit quietly and shake their heads.

But that was then, this is now.

We've heard analysts and commentators talk about reading the body language of the players to get a sense of the level of confidence and mental fortitude of the team. Watching the Lakers these past few games, but especially against Brooklyn, the players now have that look of clarity and community between them.

This season has been a year of tribulation for the Lakers (22-26) and it doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon. Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace will miss tonight's season series finale against the Brooklyn Nets (28-19), the team's 4th stop in this seemingly never-ending road trip.

Howard is still feeling a lot of soreness on his right shoulder after re-aggravating it against the Suns a week ago. He'll be sitting out his 3rd-straight game tonight. Meanwhile, the NBA has handed down a 1-game suspension to World Peace for allegedly throwing punches on Brandon Knight during an altercation under the basket in Sunday's win versus the Pistons.