A 29 point loss is only a problem if your on the losing end.

Another Western Conference team thinking about a victory against the Lakers, another victim brushed aside. If this was a test to gauge Houston and the impact Ron Artest would have, they failed miserably...like I said, Houston we've got a problem. The problem is for the NBA teams to deal with, for Lakers fans to relish, and all others to envy...

Watching the pre-game tonight was like going to a Lakers high school reunion, Kareem, Norm Nixon and Rick Fox were discussing the Lakers...these are the things that separate the Lakers franchise from others...FAMILY. Once you play for the Los Angeles Lakers you become part of a family.

Jerry Buss is the Vito Corleone of the NBA.

Everyone wants to play for the Lakers, and why not? They are ALWAYS relevant, even when they're not winning championships they are the biggest draw in the league. Magic Johnson has partial ownership in the team and attends almost every game (in his customary courtside seat, right next to longtime season ticket holder Dyan Cannon...it seems she's famous strictly for being a Lakers fan these days...I can't recall the last movie role I saw her in) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is Andrew Bynum's personal coach and mentor. James Worthy does the pre-game, halftime and postgame show with Bill MacDonald. Norm Nixon and Rick Fox are also part of the broadcast team. Stu Lantz, who was Chick Hearn's longtime color commentator and still mans that post along with Joel Meyers, was a Lakers player in the 70's. .... Speaking of Joel Meyers, he was the radio play by play man for awhile and now does the television play by play. (hopefully someone within the Lakers organization sees this next comment) I want to suggest that Spero Dedes, who is the current radio guy should switch places with Joel...put Spero on tv...Joel is a moron. Spero is much more adept at calling the game...people outside of L.A. may know Spero from NBA TV, he was employed there before coming to the Lakers.

Mitch Kupchak, Lakers General Manager, former player. Kurt Rambis, assistant coach, former player. Brian Shaw, former player, current assistant coach. Ronnie Lester, assistant General Manager, former player. Jerry West WAS the Lakers...as a player and as an executive. Pat Riley, Randy Pfund, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, Larry Drew...the list of former Lakers coaching or performing executive duties for other teams is long too. I'd LOVE to see Byron come home and coach the Lakers once Phil decides to scoop Jeanie Buss up and sail off into the sunset. Until that time comes, he will continue to use mental telepathy and Jedi mind tricks to confuse opposing teams.

Tonight's matchup with the Rockets has been a good watch so far, if not predictable. Yao got a shot blocked by Kobe...YET AGAIN...

Get that shit outta here.

It seems like Ming getting swatted by Kobe is turning into an annual rite of passage for poor Herman Mingster...(maybe Grandpa Mingster can cook up some crazy spell for Herman down in the basement before the next Lakers / Rockets game) T-Packed sprained an ankle...what else is new? The back of his jersey should read "McFragile" instead of McGrady. Don't get me wrong, the guy is an awesome basketball player but he gets injured more than my daughter at the skate park...he may be Mr. Glass from that M. Night Shyamalan movie Unbreakable. (if your going to see an M. Night directed movie, see that or the Sixth Sense...the new one starring Marky Mark, The Happening is completely LAME...don't bother) All we need now is a total meltdown by Ron Artest to complete the trifecta...maybe Jack will toss a cold one at him to get the party started. I guarantee the fans in L.A. don't get punked like the fat guy in Detroit did by Jermaine O'Neal. Roy Jones Jr. got punked last night by Joe Calzaghe...how the mighty have fallen.

...damn, he fell off.

Jones Jr. was left bloody and beaten after the fight, it looked like a Rocky movie.