FanHouse PhilJackson

MINNEAPOLIS -- Al Jefferson wasn't even born when the incident happened in 1984. But he's seen the old footage.

"The only thing I knew about Kurt (Rambis) from him playing is the highlight of Kevin McHale knocking him out,'' said the Minnesota forward.

Jonny Flynn wasn't born when Rambis won the last his four titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988. But Flynn has seen the highlights as well.

"I remember he had the high socks, the thick glasses and the short shorts,'' said the Timberwolves point guard. "That was my first impressions about him. I said that when we first talked on the phone, and we got a good laugh about it.''

LOS ANGELES -- One of the biggest questions for the Lakers coming into this season was how well Ron Artest would be able to fit in with a team that has already won one championship and has its sights set on at least one more.

After the first game of the regular season, it's too early to tell whether or not Artest is an improvement or a downgrade over the departed Trevor Ariza. But what is clear is that while Artest is on the floor, he's going to be involved, and he's going to be a factor.

When you get left hanging, there really isn't any way to play it off without looking ridiculous. You have basically two choices: pretend it didn't happen and try to look busy. Or (and this is your best option) acknowledge it, make a joke, and move on.

Lakers head coach Phil Jackson opted for the former, and then we all had to suffer through him pretending like his fist really was taking the long route to the side of his face.

Moving pictures evidence after the jump.

A to Z.

It sounds like the 1952 NBA All-Star Game, which featured Paul Arizin and Max Zaslofsky.

It sounds like the 1971 champion Milwaukee Bucks, who had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Zopf.

It sounds like the history of Lithuanian centers, from Arvydas Sabonis to Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

It also sounds like a good way to take a look at the 2009-10 NBA season:

Google and T-Mobile have a lot of work to do in terms of PR if they want to catch up with RIM and Apple for a share of the smart phone market. The BlackBerry -- in all its forms -- and the iPhone are, clearly, head and shoulders above anyone else. Which is why T-Mobile busted out the big dogs for their newest myTouch Android commercial.

Every Tuesday this offseason, two of our NBA experts will go at it on a topic. We came up with the catchy title, Debate in the Paint. This week: Which team has had the best offseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers started this decade with three consecutive NBA titles. They will finish it by winning the last two.

Anything less would be a surprise.

Although much was made of the summertime roster additions among the top three contenders in the Eastern Conference – Boston, Cleveland, Orlando -- it was the defending champion Lakers who orchestrated the most significant moves in the off-season.

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Sunday, there are 72 days remaining.

The number 72 conjures up just one memory in the NBA: the marvelous Chicago Bulls of 1995-96, who racked up an unbelievable 72-10 record. No team has ever reached 70 wins, let alone 72. Not Russell's Celtics, not Magic's Lakers -- no one. Heck, even the Bulls couldn't match their own standard in the two title seasons that followed '96.

ORLANDO -- That lucky Phil Jackson did it again. He just sat there on his makeshift throne, smirked and watched his superior players beat up on another sorry team and gift-wrap him another title.

That's what a lot of Boston fans are saying today. For all we know, that's what Red Auerbach is saying.

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Shaquille O'Neal may be headed to Cleveland or may team with Amar'e Stoudemire to push the Lakers in the Pacific Division next year. Either way, it appears his beef with Kobe Bryant is officially over.

After the Lakers cruised to a 99-86 win for their 15th NBA championship and Bryant's first without O'Neal, the Big Aristotle gave props to Kobe via Twitter:

They have to win four.

I mean, we all know they will. You could point to several moments when this NBA season ended, but Derek Fisher draining a pull-up-jumper-in-transition three was pretty much the final nail in the coffin. You can't blow leads like the Magic did. But they did. But if the Lakers and Kobe Bryant want to cement themselves as everything we've already anointed them as, they have to win four games.

So here we are, and tonight will either be a mercy-killing as the Lakers end it and begin celebrating yet another in a long line of championships, or Orlando will kickstart the ticker and pray for a miracle. Join us for the celebration/funeral, at 8PM EST.