Of course, it's usually the first 47 minutes 59.6 seconds that really matter.
And in that sense, the team is better off today . . . and tomorrow . . . and on any given day as the postseason approaches after adding Ramon Sessions and dumping Derek Fisher.
Sessions makes the Lakers younger, more dynamic offensively and less likely to be blistered by the likes of Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook in the Western Conference playoffs.
"He'll give us more speed and quickness in the backcourt," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. "I'm hopeful that we have a more athletic defensive presence."
Even with the loss of Fisher, the locker room leader and clutch shooter who was traded to Houston after the Sessions deal was made, you can count the Lakers among the teams that improved themselves the most before Thursday's trade deadline. Here are the five biggest winners and losers among teams that made moves:
Winners
Lakers: Not only did the team upgrade at point guard, it also bolstered a thin frontcourt in the Fisher deal by acquiring forward Jordan Hill from Houston. With Coach Mike Brown increasingly reluctant to play Josh McRoberts, the Lakers essentially had only 31/2 big men before getting Hill, the former No. 8 overall draft pick who can shed his label as a disappointment in a new environment.
Now the Lakers have a more complete roster that could get them back to the conference finals.
Clippers: Nobody was going to replace the steadying presence and playoff savvy of Chauncey Billups, who was lost for the season last month after suffering a torn Achilles' tendon.
But shooting guard Nick Young gives the Clippers an occasionally prolific scorer whose fadeaway jumpers are nearly impossible to defend. His youthful exuberance will also infuse a sense of fun in a locker room that had become somewhat joyless after Billups went down and the losses stacked up.
With Young, a former USC star, on board, the Clippers could once again challenge the Lakers for the Pacific Division title.
Golden State: All the plus-minus talk about how many points the Warriors were giving up with Monta Ellis on the court and Stephen Curry off it has been mercifully muffled. Dumping Ellis was a net gain, allowing the team to fully showcase sharpshooters Curry and Klay Thompson while adding former No. 1 overall draft pick Andrew Bogut to a now-formidable frontcourt that also includes David Lee.
Yes, Bogut's return date from a broken ankle remains unknown, but the Warriors showed they intend to make a playoff push by flipping the controversial Stephen Jackson to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson, a solid character guy who should also become a major contributor.
San Antonio: While Jackson would not have been an ideal fit with Golden State, his presence helps the Spurs. He won a title with San Antonio in 2003 and is likely to be a good soldier under former mentor Gregg Popovich.
Adding Jackson's scoring punch alleviates pressure on Tony Parker and the oft-injured Manu Ginobili, making the Spurs contenders to get back to the Finals.
Milwaukee: Brandon Jennings no longer has to do it all himself now that he's been joined by Ellis, whose instant offense could help the Bucks score 100 points by halftime. That's an exaggeration, but Milwaukee's playoff chances in the weak Eastern Conference are no longer a joke.
Losers
Denver: Adding the nut case known as JaVale McGee while subtracting fan favorite Nene makes sense how, exactly? The only worse move would be to give McGee the $14-million-a-year contract extension he intends to seek after the Nuggets fall out of playoff contention.
Houston: If the goal was to please the area's tricenarians, then mission accomplished. Marcus Camby, who turns 38 next week, and Fisher, 37, are solid players well past their primes. A spunky, youthful roster just got old real fast.
Portland: The way the Trail Blazers were frantically dumping players and coaches might have made even the video coordinator fear for his job. The team got a few players with expiring contracts who won't be around long and a draft pick to use in its massive rebuilding efforts.
Cleveland: So much for quality depth at point guard. The Cavaliers better hope that draft pick they got for Sessions turns out to be a winner because Luke Walton and Jason Kapono aren't instilling fear in the rest of the Eastern Conference.
New Jersey: The good news: The long-out-of-contention Nets got Gerald Wallace, thought to be coveted by Orlando in a trade for Dwight Howard. The bad news: Howard isn't going anywhere any time soon.
