Warrior mentality

Last time, the Lakers faced the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Jackson picked up five fouls and one technical while attempting to guard Kobe Bryant. Jackson went to the bench after 9 minutes, 20 seconds, got into a shouting match with Golden State coach Don Nelson and spent the rest of the game in the locker room. He later drew a two-game suspension for "conduct detrimental to the team."

Jackson vowed things would be different when he and the Warriors face Bryant and the Lakers tonight in Ontario. Losing one's composure in an exhibition game is probably something to avoid once. Twice might indicate something's seriously wrong.

Anyway, here's some of what Jackson told a Bay Area reporter Monday: "I'm going to be me, but I guarantee I won't feed into the nonsense. If it came down to a real fight, I know what would happen. I'm just going to leave that alone, go out and play basketball and try to help my team win."

Apparently, Jackson believed Bryant dissed him and the referees called it one-sided.

"I love competing against and guarding the best guy," Jackson said. "I just don't like being treated like I'm less. If I play against a guy, we both play the same, physical game. We are treated the same, and (if) he outplays me, I'll give him his props. But if the game is being called one-sided and I'm not being treated fairly, I'm going to be upset."