A new NBA season. The same Lakers team, the same purple-n-gold hype. Nothin' new in Lakerland except for these 10 items.

1) Vladimir Radmanovic finally woke up:  His on-the-ball defense and anticipation has never been better (4 steals vs. Portland on opening night). He's in tremendous shape and he's got a new look. No longer the space cadet, he is now the Space Commando.

2) Lamar Odom as sixth man:  He still gets the same minutes, he still plays a tremendous all-around game, he still makes a boat load of cash, and he still bricks his free throws. But now, he gets to do it primarily with the second unit which instantly makes the Lakers' Bench Mob the best reserve squad in the NBA bar none.

3) Phil Jackson's clean cut:  He's going with the look of youth to let us know it's a new beginning. Word around town is that 60 is the new 30.

4) Jordan Farmar is flat-out impressive:  Whatever he did this summer to work on his game has instantly translated into total efficiency on the court. He's been the Lakers' best player since the start of preseason and the more and more I watch him, the more I'm thinking Tony Parker.

5) Sasha Vujacic and his new hairpiece:  I guess with that new contract of his, he's now able to shop for beauty supplies at Rodeo Drive. As long as The Machine keeps strokin' threes, I'm sure all of us will have no problem.

6) Trevor Ariza and his outside shot:  The coaching staff told him to work on his long range during his exit interview. He did just that and pretty soon the Lakers will have their own version of a better, younger, and more athletic James Posey with a twist of Michael Cooper. The Hornets and Celtics better watch out.

7) Pau Gasol at power forward:  He is now at his natural position and it has become increasingly obvious that he is more comfortable at the four spot. Expect Gasol to be top five in field goal percentage throughout the year and expect him to be an All-Star.

8) Andrew Bynum is a beast:  The Big Drewski grew an inch over the summer and is now 7-1 and 285 lbs of muscle. His footwork and shooting touch are better than Dwight Howard's and he's more athletic and durable than Yao Ming. He'll be top five in blocks as well as top ten in field goal percentage. I said it last year and I'll say it again. He's the third best center in this league and he's only 21.

9) Defensive intensity:  Last year no one knew what to expect from the Lakers. Then they went to the Finals where they learned a valuable lesson about defense from the champs and now they have a huge target on their backs. So what better way to prepare for the season than to focus on bringing their "A" game on the defensive end? Of course, the return of Bynum and Ariza and addition of bruising big man Josh Powell helps the cause tremendously. I like what I see thus far.

10) Kobe Bryant: Now that the MVP has all the pieces around him, he is becoming a master at picking his spots and knowing when and how to take over a game from any direction. He will probably win MVP again this year if the Lakers win 63+ games. Let's not get too carried away with the MJ comparisons once again, but it won't be long until we get there. Fo' real dawg.

THE LAKERS ASSAULT CONTINUES... 

The Houston Rockets sure know how to market their product.

When newcomer Ron Artest was introduced on Monday at the Toyota Center, long-time Rocket play-by-play man Bill Worrell kept talking about how the Rockets would compete for the NBA Championship in 2008-'09.

Id' be optimistic too if my team had Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, and Artest. But championship material? I wouldn't be too quick to call them title contenders just yet, Bill.

It's okay though. I know what you guys are doing. You're trying to sell some tickets. But please don't think you've got us all fooled and schooled.

Houston (and Worrell), you have a problem.

According to the Houston Chronicle, "Worrell mentioned that Kobe Bryant does not like to face Artest."  Then Artest himself went on to add that Paul Pierce "doesn't want to see me either."

Notice how Ron Ron didn't expound on Worrell's comment about Bryant and instead deflected it by talking about Pierce. That's because Ron Ron knows his play-by-play man is wrong about his success, or lack thereof, against the Los Angeles Lakers star. Ron Ron was merely playing along.

Bill, I know you're trying to pump up the crowd, but please dude, for the sake of your rep and street cred, do your homework first. Where have you ever got an inkling that Kobe didn't like facing Artest? When did Kobe ever say that he was afraid to play against Ron Ron?

Allow me to shed some light since you obviously have never watched Kobe vs. Artest throughout the years. Kobe, in fact, loves and relishes his matchup with Artest.

From the time Artest was traded to Sacramento in 2006 to the present day, the two friends have faced each other 10 times. Here are the head-to-head numbers...

KOBE: 7 Wins, 30.8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 7.2 apg, 1.7 spg, 102-210 FGs, .486 FG%, 19-45 3-pt FGs, .422 3-pt FG%.

RON RON: 3 Wins, 20.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.4 spg, 72-168 FGs, .429 FG%, 18-48 3-pt FGs, .375 3-pt FG%.

Yeah, dawg. Artest owns Bryant. Really though. 

And Alain Bernard is better than Michael Phelps. Talk about false advertising...

Thanks to Nique's All-NBA All-Blog Team idea and Bleed's suggestions of other bloggers who are worthy of being NBA All-Blogger, I came up with my own version based on the seasonal awards given to NBA players and coaches.

MVP: Hoffman. Not only does Hoffy represent the Lakers well on these blogs, he's also one of the best objective thinkers of the game when it comes to intelligent debate. He started ballerblogger.com and has had a tremendous following, mostly due to his fantastic reputation. He knows his stuff, his blogs are among the best, and he's on almost everybody's "favorites" list. He scores when he needs to (his blogs always get a ton of hits and his blogs are always among the most popular), passes the rock when appropriate (thanks for making me moderator of the Lakers Fan Group), and is always clutch (rarely, if at all, does he ever gets his facts wrong).

Defensive Player of the Year: Nique.  No brainer here folks. This one's a unanimous winner for one simple reason - No blogger in FoxSports is on the defensive as much as Nique is. Attacked from all angles by haters, criticized at every opportunity by LeBronists, and scrutinized even by Lakers fans for not appreciating Lamar Odom, Nique will defend her turf to the fullest extent and call you a "creepazoid" while you're at it. She'll block your shot, er blog (delete, delete, delete) and most importantly, she'll play lockdown defense, get up in your face, and let you know about it even if she has to send you a separate comment on your personal inbox.

Sixth Man Award: JoshQ.Public.  A sixth man provides a spark for his team. A sixth man brings the intangibles to the table. A sixth man can do it all - score, assist, and rebound. A sixth man can have flair yet can be fundamentally sound at the same time. Without the guy off the bench to bring the energy and enthusiasm, the game becomes boring and predictable. With his unique ability to mix entertaining prose with rap lyrics, symbols, pictures, humor, knowledge, and Boston homerism all into one article, JoshQ. is your Sixth Man of the Year for he brings his all around game every time he steps on the court. If he were putting up blogs every week, he'd be a starter on any team in the league.

Most Improved Player: Underage. The young one went from barely learning how to put up a graphic to being a regular contributor to these blogs. Underage comes to play every single day and is always appreciative of everyone's support. When it comes to class, underage has got it locked down pat. Never one to get into a skirmish, Underage is 100% positive about sports and life, and is getting better and better by the nanosecond. By the time Underage is all grown up, he'll probably be MVP.

Rookie of the Year: Orman1006. Just like that, in 1006 words, the Portland resident seized the trophy in convincing fashion. Despite his endearing devotion and homerism to the Jailblazers, I mean Trailblazers, Orman has proven in just a short time that the man knows his basketball. Seemingly out of nowhere, he entered the dungeon that is FoxSports and took the blogosphere by storm with an array of creative and insightful blogs. He'll respect you if  you talk intelligently. He'll entertain you if you talk common sense. And above all, he'll blast you if you talk nonsense. Just think of it as being Ormanized.

Coach of the Year: Tom7. He speaks like a coach. He talks like a coach. He analyzes like a coach. He teaches like a coach. And I'm sure he coaches like a coach. That's because he is a coach. And a winning one at that. This guy knows his stuff like the back of his hand. I'm not kidding, he's like the ZenMaster of the blogs. Right when you think you know it all, he'll pull something out of the bag to make you realize you've got to do more homework. Just check out his blogs and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Executive of the Year: Ubershorty. Uber, as we like to call him, thinks of so many trade scenarios he probably spends his weekends adjusting rosters on his XBOX 360. Move over ESPN, this guy is the real deal Trade Machine. Whether it's a one-player deal or a Mega blockbuster, Uber will have a scenario specifically tailored to your team. The only problem is getting some of these moves to go down. Because at the end of the day, we all know the best moves are the moves you don' t make. Nonetheless if you have questions about your roster, this is the man you want to consult with because he's got the latest scoop (still waiting on that Lamar Odom trade on Tuesday).

First Team All-NBA (Offense)

G: BleedPRPL&GLD. A guy that bleeds his team's colors deserves to run the point on my team any day 24-7-365. Including Christmas Day. Quick as a cat, strong as a T-Rex, and better looking than a Cro-Magnon, Bleed can do it all, from superior knowledge of the game to witty and clever humor.

G: TcbDog. The way he fires back with precision, tcbdog definitely brings it. He's a big-time Kobe loyalist and he'll back him up full throttle the way Kobe sinks daggers with three defenders draped all over him. The thing about it is, this dawg doesn't back down. Kinda like Kobe.

G: Reverend Rhythm (late addition). Simply put, when the Reverend speaks, everyone listens. I've always like his blog. His unique perspective is often punctuated by his matter-of-fact, straight-to-the-point take on sports. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Guys like the Reverend, who are aggressive on offense and aren't afraid to take the big shot, are legitimate first-teamers in my mind.

C: Alaskanballa: Anytime a guy will write a blog simply to try and stump me on some sports trivia, I have no choice but to annoint him the center on my team. And anytime a guy "just loves a good debate with an intelligent fan", it tells me the guy knows what he's talking about. And at the center position, you need a player who knows what he's doing. Plus, the guy is a baller in real life.

F: Ricko. The veteran FoxSports blogger receives this award because of his consistency. Don't get me wrong, this is not a Lifetime Achievement Award, but from time to time Ricko still makes an appearance and continues to prove he hasn't lost his wit. He's the most knowledgeable Suns fan out there, and his ability to provide us with a tremendous amount of insight and combine it with entertaining sarcasm has truly earned my utmost respect despite our heated battles from the past. For those of you who don't know our history, let's just say it was like Magic vs. Bird.

F: Lisa Horne. Indeed, her talk is "straight talk from the left coast" to the nth degree. Lisa knows her s-h-!-t blindfolded. Whether it's college football, major league baseball, pro hoops, politics, or other stuff,  Lisa H is a contributing writer for FoxSports by no mistake. I thought I couldn't be beat when we did our "He Said, She Said" blogs during this year's NBA Finals, and lo and behold, I was humbly defeated by this die-hard Celtic.

First Team All-NBA (Defense)

G: The Sizzel. Always defending LeBron. Always stealing the spotlight away from KOBE!!. Always all over these blogs with his unrelenting sarcasm, wit, and humor. Always getting into it with Nique. Always sizzling with hot topics. Always reminding us of Donaghe. My point is, the guy is all over the place. He's relentless, especially with those damn archives. You've got to respect that and that's why he's on my all-defensive squad. Fo' Shizzle Sizzel.

G: Gambitxxx. Aside from the fact he's another one of those bloggers who really know what they're talking about and have proven it, there's only one other reason why Gambit makes the all-defense team. He hails from Louisiana and roots for his hometown Hornets, yet he occasionally defends his first love Lakers when the situation calls for it. That's what I call a true defender right there.

C: Tsunami. Any blogger who has a name that could wreak havoc on Planet Blog is automatically on the first team. No questions asked. My recent debate with him on his Manu-Kobe blog gave me a newfound sense of respect for the guy. Although I already knew he knew his basketball, he defended his position with knowledge and class as opposed to spitting out nonsense like a lot of other bloggers do. If he weren't a tsunami, he'd probably be called Apocalypto.

F: DownsA529. He's a Detroit fan but stresses that he's not a homer. He will vent on topics that irritate him yet he shows his respect for people who debate intelligently even if they don't share his same views. He ain't no pushover despite the looks of his jolly smile. And anytime someone calls himself a "sports nut", you know he'd go into battle with you any day. He gives you "random sports thoughts" and lists his All-Time NBA teams with striking  accuracy. He'll even give you his sports trivia quiz on occasion just to make sure your offensive game is in check.

F: NBA is the Worst. With him in the frontcourt and Sizz in the backcourt, no blogger is going to get by with a clean pass. You will be scrutinized, you will be searched, you will be drug tested, you will be criticized, and you may have to sample a hair follicle. Don't let that picture of David Stern fool you. Worst is no softie. One moment you think he's all sarcasm, next time around he spits knowledge to your dome that will paralyze you like a set of Stern's rules and regulations. Worst can be accommodating and cool, but don't get on his bad side because he'll d you up like Rodman. NBA is the Worm.

Thanks, bloggers, for making my time here on FoxSports totally worthwhile. I know I get into it with some of you, but know that despite my occasional temper flares, I have a tremendous amount of respect for everyone here. 

The combined knowledge that is being circulated among everyone here makes this forum the best in the business and because of you I am able to learn more about the world of sports. With basketball being my favorite sports subject, this is my way of paying tribute to some of my favorite writers here.

The exchange of opinions and information that goes on totally beats reading the sports page every morning while sitting on the s-h-!-t-t-e-r.

And oh, before I forget. The Lakers' Assault Continues...

Recently, The King they call James made a comment about the greatest basketball player on the planet today.

He stated, "He's the one guy on our team that's not afraid to take the final shot or guard anyone. Kobe is the No. 1 athlete out here. Beyond basketball, I think people are starting to see his personality." Told you so.

It's the medal round, folks, which means... playoff time and Kobe time.  Turns out, the veteran LEADER Bryant was just warming up and pacing himself, which is what veteran greats do. Everyone criticized his shot selection. Everyone said he was no longer as explosive as D-Wade. Everyone said he was slow and worn out. Turns out the haters have once again been proven stupid. These people know exactly who they are.

And then after the quarterfinal game against Australia, the only team to have given the Americans anything remotely close to a challenge, the legend comes out and scores 25 points, which is the most by any American player in Olympics thus far. From day one, he's been spearheading the attack by setting the tone, setting the example, and being there for his teammates on defense.

We all know he's the best scorer in the world. But does he have to prove it every game? Ask yourself that question 24 times. If I were Kobe, I'd do exactly what he's been doing, which is allow Lebron, Dwyane, Carmelo, and Dwight steal the spotlight. And then when it's time to take it up a notch, go ahead and release the venomous Mamba. It's killer instinct. It's Kobe. It's limited edition, baby.

Overrated and overhyped? More like overwhelming.

Go ahead haters, and keep adding fuel to the fire. The more you do, the more crow that will be shoved down all your throats. Courtesty of myself and Mamba.

"Ever dance with the devil under the pale moonlight?" That's what Kobe says to all of his harshest critics. And he's not being a joker either.

Enjoy.

Recently, a Kobe Bryant hater deluxe said...

"the point is you KOBE!!ists would have us all believe that mamba is infallable. when the facts are KOBE!! has been coming up very small in the biggest games, on the biggest stage. for 2 years i've heard if this, if that, every imaginable scenerio. and in every hypothetical scenerio KOBE!! comes out as the greatest thing since sliced bread."

Guess the author folks. Hint: his name rhymes with mine and let's just say he's my evil twin.

Since people want the "facts", why don't I just go ahead and lay it out there for all of you haters since all of you have extremely short memories and allow your emotions to get the best of you when it comes to the MVP and the "best player in the league for the last five years" according to Lebron James. And then you guys can ask yourselves why it is you're always having a hard time accepting Kobe for what he is and why you keep talking about him like he's the kid who stole the cookie from the cookie jar. Nobody ever said he was perfect. But he's as close as they get on the basketball court. On the basketball court (notice I repeat this twice; intelligent people will figure out why).

Kobe was drafted 13th in 1996. Other players drafted 13th in the last 12 years include Thabo Sefalosha, Sean May, Sebastian Telfair, Marcus Banks, Marcus Haislip, Richard Jefferson, Courtney Alexander, Corey Maggette, Keon Clark, and Derek Anderson. And these players really come up big in the biggest of games.

I repeat. Most people around the planet say Kobe is the number one player in the world and he was drafted 13th!! Infallible? Damn close. Surefire? Damn right he is.

Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, Marcus Camby, Sharif Abdur-Rahim, Starbury, Jamal Crawford, Mike Miller, Darius Miles, Kenyon Martin, Stromile Swift, Joe Johnson, Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Eddy Curry, Tyson Chandler, Mike Dunleavy, Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox, Amare Stoudemire, Caron Butler, Kirk Hinrich, T.J. Ford, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor, Shaun Livingston, Josh Childress, Andre Igoudala, Luol Deng, Andrew Bogut, Martell Webster, Raymond Felton, Ike Diogu, Adam Morrison, J.J. Redick, Rudy Gaay, Randy Foye, Brandon Roy, Shelden Williams, Tyrus Thomas - all of them drafted ahead of Kobe and all of them with all the hype in the world but a total of zero championships.

Most of these players are top five picks and only a handful of them are considered comparable to Bryant. From this list, only James, Iverson, Howard, and maybe T-Mac are worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as Mamba. And three out of the four were number one picks. Kobe was 13th. Flawless on the court? No one is, not even Michael Jordan. Dependable and reliable all season long? You betcha. Because he works harder than anybody else at improving his craft. This is what separates him from the rest.

It is so silly, outlandish, absurd, and unreasonable for haters to fixate on Kobe like they do and look for the most minute things to accuse him for whatever reason and make him appear undeserving of all the attention that it borderlines on pure obsessive compulsion. Look, Kobe is neither God nor Zeus but he's certainly done a lot more right than wrong in this league over his entire career. If he hadn't done so, he wouldn't be a Laker right now. Period.

He's got three rings and five Finals appearances folks, and he plays hurt. All the time. Lebron hurts that hand of his and next thing you know he's on the sidelines in his three-piece suit. Kobe is the player 95% of NBA General Managers would take if given the number one pick. He's led the Lakers to elite status in a span of only three years, this after the team made numerous personnel moves, a coaching change, and suffered through countless injuries while being nothing more than mediocre. So tell me if Lebron and Iverson have improved their respective teams the way Kobe has done with his, shorthanded and all.

When Shaq was in foul trouble and eventually fouled out in Game Four of the 2000 NBA Finals, it was Kobe who saved the Lakers in the fourth quarter and OT. It was Kobe who stifled the great Scottie Pippen in that memorable matchup with Portland in the WCF. The same Pippen who had 6 rings and was the leader of that squad. It was Kobe who was the main playmaker and creator on the three championship teams. It was Kobe who manhandled the Spurs in during the 2001 playoffs, prompting even The Big Aristotle to bow down. It was Kobe who sacrificed his budding offensive game and emerging greatness in order to do what was best for the Lakers and instead focus on becoming a defensive stalwart and playmaker so that Shaq could do his thing in order for the Lakers to capture titles. And it was Kobe who scored 33 points and matched MJ shot for shot against the Bulls in '98, only his second year in the league.

It was this 13th pick who was the youngest player ever to start in an All-Star Game. And it was this 13th pick who scored 81 points in a regulation win after his team fell behind by 17 points in the third quarter. And then two years later, he followed it up by leading his shorthanded Lakers to the NBA Finals against a team that won 66 games and had the largest one-season turnaround ever, dethroning a dynasty along the way.

Is he perfect? No. If he were, he wouldn't be human.

Is he the greatest thing since sliced bread? For the thirteenth pick, he probably is.