Editor's Note: The following post is a part of the 2013 Purple Row Writer Search -- our quest to find some great new contributors to Purple Row.

The saga of the 2012-13 LA Lakers continues, as the floundering team heads into tonight's game against the Utah Jazz. The Lakers are dealing with injury, age, and ineffectiveness, and as of tonight sit outside the playoff picture at 17 and 25. This is not going over well in Laker land, since basically everyone makes the NBA playoffs. Seriously, I think my old high school team made the tournament last year.

Obviously, for a team that fields this many big name stars and has made the playoffs each of the last 8 years, this is a disappointment. Head coach Mike D'Antoni may find himself out of a job less than a year after being hired. As a Nuggets fan, the sweet taste of schadenfruede nourishes and sustains me.

Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz saunter into LA on a nice little run, having won five straight. Despite some road issues and a propensity to cough up late leads, Utah sits at a respectable 23 and 19. We will see if their momentum and the Lakers's general state of disarray translate into a victory for the Jazz.

So buckle your seatbelts and hold onto your butts, because we are in for some rip-roaring, take-no-prisoners NBA action between two mediocre teams during the doldrums of January! Hey, at least you might see a celebrity on the sidelines.