No two seasons are alike, so in defending a title finding the balance between sticking with what works and keeping things fresh can be tricky. Before Wednesday night's successful opening to the preseason, Lamar Odom made it clear talking to the media that having found a championship formula, the Lakers have every intention of reproducing it, right down to keeping everyone's spot on the bus exactly the same. (Ron Artest slides into TA's spot, no surprise.) It's not a question of superstition, but habit and routine. On a personal level, he's long since resolved any issues about coming off the bench. "I wouldn't change it," he said. "We won a championship. I'll keep it the same."
Identical routines, maybe, but the addition of Artest can help create new things to focus on in practice, new adjustments in games, and so on. Could help keep the collective mind sharp in what is always a very long march to the postseason.
Other notes:
*DJ Mbenga is getting close to a return. He practiced Tuesday, and was sore yesterday but otherwise undamaged. They'll be careful, though, heading forward, since groin injuries are on their best day pretty tricky. "That kind of thing, you can't (mess) with," he said. Mbenga doesn't want to step on the court until he feels he can go all out. "How I like to play, I like to be everywhere."
*Last year, we sat next to a scout with a W.C. team who pointed out many of the ways in which the Lakers are an incredibly well coached team. Last night was another indication. Yes, it was preseason, yes, it was against the Warriors, but there's a purpose and efficiency to everything they do on the floor, which is only magnified when compared to the chaos that is the Warriors.
*The dig on Ron Artest isn't that he can't pass, but all to often forgets and allows the ball to stick in his hands. There was none of that on Wednesday. His passes were quick and decisive, and moving the rock seemed to be his first instinct in nearly every situation. I predicted that Artest would be so conscious of doing the right thing in his first year that holding the ball wouldn't be a real problem. After one preseason game, I'm looking good.
*The Warriors are a terrible interior team- worst defensive rebounding crew by percentage in the NBA last season- and have nobody who can guard Andrew Bynum, but I was impressed by his work. He looked like a guy who wants to play fourth quarters, which is good whether he gets his wish or not.
*The best shot of the night from Sasha Vujacic was probably his first. He catches the ball out of rhythm beyond the three point line. Instead of hoisting from there, he took a dribble in, got set, and canned a two.
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