The Best of the Rest

Lakers are Pretty Good, but No Boston or Cleveland: If only the Lakers were the team that began the season with the NBA's best defense, not allowing 100 points until the eighth game, bragging about how they were the new Boston. Well, um, Boston held these Knicks to 101 points. Detroit held them to 96. Cleveland held them to 82. Jackson was right. The Lakers have lost that spark. What happened? After hearing his quote, I looked for reason. I found Kobe. I found Fish. I found the schedule. I found the kids.I also found a guy who thinks this is all poppycock. "You have to lighten up a little bit," said Knicks Coach Mike D'Antoni. "They're pretty good." Pretty good, fine. But not Boston or Cleveland.

Kobe's to Blame: Kobe Bryant hasn't pushed the Lakers yet. This is a team whose pulse can be directly measured by Bryant's heart rate, and so far, by all reports, Bryant has rarely raised his voice. Before the game, when asked if he has been purposely more laid back, he said, `'I have been, yes."

The Point Guards Stink: Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar's defense hasn't pushed them yet.The smallest guys have done the biggest things against the Lakers. Opposing point guards have simply steamrolled them. Old guys like Bobby Jackson scoring 15 points in 18 minutes. Young guys like Derrick Rose scoring 25 points with nine assists. Allen Iverson scoring 25 with 11 free throws. T.J. Ford scoring 21 with eight assists.And, on Tuesday, how on earth does Nate Robinson score 33?

The Kids are Underwhelming: They need more domination from tiring Andrew Bynum. They need more resilience from struggling Sasha Vujacic. Both players are shooting far worse than last season, and both have a tendency to let that chill seep into other parts of their game.

Laker Aura: Ratcheting up the anxiety level among Lakers fans is the realization that, as was the case last June, the Boston Celtics are a better team. Kevin Garnett's ferocity has spread to his teammates. Adding to the consternation of Lakers fans: Kobe Bryant & Co. have failed to cover the betting line in each of their last seven games

Booed at Home Again: First, they couldn't stop anyone wearing a blue-and-orange uniform.Next, they trailed by an astounding 15 points.Then, they got booed off the court at halftime. Matters would improve for the Lakers on Tuesday night, but not before the same old defensive bugaboos troubled them.

Churchillian: The Lakers might not be the best 21-3 team in NBA history and they're probably not the worst, but surely they must be the most maligned.

Laker Fans Need to Chill: Lakers fans make Chicken Little look like a cockeyed optimist.

Gasol questionable for Road Trip: The Lakers hope Gasol will be fit enough to join them for a four-game trip that begins Friday in Miami. The Lakers also play the Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets on a whirlwind five-night trek.