Festival of Hype, Day II

The mass of reporters gathered at the Lakers' practice facility seemed to run out of steam early today while looking for angles on the team's possible NBA Finals preview with the Miami Heat on Christmas Day. Somebody asked Lakers coach Phil Jackson what it might have been like had Derek Fisher actually signed a contract with the Heat during the offseason. Jackson said he didn't know how to answer since he never believed Fisher would really sign elsewhere. Somebody else asked Lamar Odom if being married changed his preparations for a Christmas Day game. Odom didn't know how to answer, gazing at a couple of unmarried fellows in the crowd, who then said, "Don't look at us for help."