Christmas Day with the Lakers
If it's Dec. 25, the Lakers are playing.
The past three seasons it was the Lakers and Heat so we could revel in the Kobe-Shaq feud. Which was, in fact, a bit hot for a year there, then went tepid, and then the Heat turned into the Clippers of the Eastern Conference.
But the Lakers are still playing on Christmas Day. Must be Kobe and Phil and the possibility of celebrity sightings that amuses network TV.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson, son of a minister, conceded to not being enthused about playing on Christmas. "But once the game gets going, you don't really notice anymore," he said.
The Lakers get the Phoenix Suns this time, and it should be a good barometer on how far the Lakers have come.
They trashed the Suns, in Phoenix, second game of the season, and have been competitive ever since. Be interesting to see if the Suns come out and try to run them into the ground ... or whether the Lakers' big men can slow things down and beat up the Suns down low.
One thing I'm rooting against: Overtime.
Christmas dinner is waiting me, and i plan to write (and file) quickly today.