How do you know the Laker season is underway?  Besides watching last night's home opener, the barrage of KCAL ads and your general ability to read a calendar, since the games start on more or less the same date each year? 

Because we're busting out the ol' "Know thy enemy," that's why!

It's time to analyze, deconstruct and generally pick apart the Western Conference that houses Laker enemies.  All 14 teams.  All angles and aspects explored.  I've divvied up the contenders (and pretenders) into four categories, two of which will be posted ri ... gh ... t ...

Now.

Lamar Odom was in a car accident last night on the way to last night's game and suffered a mild concussion.  I exchanged a brief e-mail with somebody from the front office, and LO wasn't hurt much at all (especially in a way that will hinder his shoulder recovery).  I'm also happy to see that there doesn't appear to be any drugs or alcohol involved, and also to hear about Lamar's concern for the victim (not that it particularly surprises me).  We'll keep you in the loop with any developments, but for now, click below the jump for the news.

Special thanks to my girlfriend, who emailed me the TMZ article.  I knew a relationship with somebody addicted to gossip rags would one day pay off.  haha

-- AK

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  Don't forget to tune into today's webcast of "Purple, Gold and Blue."  Noon.  Click the NowLive widget on the side of the page to listen, and if you're feeling particularly frisky, log on to the site and join the live chat that goes on during the show.

Don't freak out, but if the season ended today, the Lakers would be a lottery team (and a lot of people would wonder why they spend so much on season tix).  Fortunately, Tuesday's opening night 95-93 loss to the Rockets at Staples was just the first of many opportunities to get it right.  This one, however, went wrong on a few levels, on what was an odd night off Fig.  It included boos for Kobe Bryant in the pregame introductions, the rare basketball "own goal" from Luke Walton and Kwame Brown, some lackluster effort from the purple and gold before a furious late fourth comeback ... all scuttled by a clutch Shane Battier rainbow three with 2.5 seconds to play. But the box score reveals that, despite a rough shooting night from Kobe (13-32) and the Gang (19-44), what really cost the Lakers was a collective failure from the free-throw line: 27-45.  That's 18 misses from the charity stripe. 

Go ahead and kick that gift horse smack in the kisser.

Just the first day of what is shaping up to be a typically dramatic Lakers season, with fans on edge and Kobe in limbo.

But as the old saying goes, you gotta play those middle 24 minutes as well.  The Lakers' 95-93 loss began in promising enough fashion as they held the Rockets to a sweet 16 points (if you're rooting purple and gold) and a miserable 25% from the field (if you're rooting red).  Five steals.  Perpetually active defense.  The stuff that "kick-ass seasons needed to encourage Kobe to stick around" are made of.  Unfortunately for the Lakers, Houston wasn't willing to concede the game after 12 minutes, and that second quarter is where things got goofy. 

Houston outscored L.A. 27-18 (59% FG), with the Lakers shooting under 40% from the field and the stripe.  The third featured even more bad everything, whether you're talking losing the battle on the boards, 15-8, the clanged shots or the bricked freebies.  The fourth quarter saw some spirit and a rally, along with a gap squeezed shut at 92 points apiece.  But with two ticks on the clock, Shane Battier drained a triple, putting the Rockets up by three.  Kobe ended up at the line, hit his first, purposely bricked the second, but the Lakers couldn't snag the rebound or create an overtime situation needed for a winning box score. 

Here we go, people.  There are those who doubt this team's ability.  There are those who doubt whether Kobe and the front office can work out their differences.  But for those who doubt whether Jeffrey Osborne can still bring a National Anthem, you needn't wonder.  The man still has pipes after 24 straight seasons.

Marge Hearn did the player introductions.  Very nice.  The fans love them some Marge Hearn about as much as they loved them some Chick.  A lot more than they love Kobe, apparently.  Some boos in the house for No. 24.

First quarter:

The Laker girls are now wearing ruffled bottoms with their outfits.  As BK noted, as least the organization is continuing to make improvements in some areas.

9:36:  Kwame does a good job denying Yao further position under the hoop and forces a tough shot and yet another miss.  Tough start for both teams when it comes to the ol' point generation thing.

Normally at a time like this, you'd say things like, "It's finally time for the speculation to end and the games to begin," or "After a summer of chatter, the games are here and it's time to put the words aside."  Except we all know the chatter will continue, the speculation will, in fact, not die.  Not anytime soon, at least.  Whatever.  It's tipoff time for the '07-08 season, and ready or not, here the Lakers come.  Needless to say the vibe around the team has folks (players, fans, media) a little on edge (not quite in a DeNiro, Taxi Driver way, but on edge nonetheless).  Unfortunately, the Lakers need to put everything aside quickly and get down to business, because five of their first six games are against playoff contenders -- Houston tonight, then Phoenix, Utah, New Orleans and San Antonio.  Forgive me for not including Minnesota in that group. 

No time to screw around.

Some news: Your starting lineup tonight will, of course, lack Lamar Odom.  That means Luke Walton will start at small forward, Ronny Turiaf at the four, and Kwame Brown will be given the task of bodying up Yao from the opening bell.  Oh, Kobe's fine, and will be in the lineup.  Phil Jackson said before the game that he'll once again put Kobe out on the wing and let Derek Fisher push the pace, hopefully freeing Kobe up from some responsibility on the offensive end. 

Plenty more on that, and more, in the audio below the jump.

Given this summer's weirdness, the Lakers didn't really have much of an offseason.  Purple and gold news has simmered some days, boiled others, but has basically run hot since the conclusion of last season's exit interviews.  Is J.O. coming?  Is K.G. coming?  Is Ron-Ron coming?  And, most significantly, is Kobe going?  Enough rumors and unsubstantiated reports to fill months worth of Us Weeklys.

That's a lot of rumors and unsubstantiated reports.

Of course, now that it's all said and done, after a tumultuous few months followed by an unsteady preseason, the bunch that finished the '06-07 season in disappointing fashion is back, more or less intact (though improved with the exchange of Smush Parker for Derek Fisher).  The regular games are about to start, which means questions need to be answered.  Seven of them.  Why?   Because that's the number of good ones I could think of before I started repeating myself.

So without further ado ...

It's been a long time coming, but the Lakers will finally play a real, live game tonight against the Rockets at Staples (7:30, TNT).  It won't put an end to the turmoil the team is enduring to start the year, but at least keeping score and counting games in the standings will give everyone something else to do.  At best, it's a return to business as usual, at worst a sideshow while KobeWatch! plays out.  Today, Kobe's a Laker (and for a while, at least, likely to stay that way), all the comments are positive, and the Lakers have hope just like everyone else.  Certainly those on the inside like D-Fish are aiming high.  The light popping on for Kwame Brown could facilitate the process.  As could a season of Kobe playing distributor as well as scorer. 

Finally, as far as previews go, it wouldn't be complete without one from Mom, who sent in a few nuggets in response to these SI.com scouting reports for the Lakers:

• "These reports are dismal."
• "I think Luke Walton is better than reported and a good leader."
• "Nobody mentions Coby with a C."
• "I think Kobe needs an attitude change. I agree that he is not the coach and should pump up his team. Let Phil Jackson criticize Bynum and the others." 
• "If they don't win and he isn't traded, there is always Dancing With the Stars" (a reference to Mark Cuban).

Word's been spreading like hotcakes that Kobe's gonna be in a suit during tomorrow's opener.  But according to a report from the Lakers' site, the official word is ... "He probably won't be."  True, Bryant, along with Lamar Odom (who'll undoubtedly miss the game) and Chris Mihm (who also sounds like a logical candidate), was on the inactive list when the official rosters were announced.  But since last season's rule changes make it so the list can be altered game to game and doesn't get filed until an hour before the tip, it's actually irrelevant (at least theoretically) whether Kobe's currently "active" or not.  We'll see what happens, but the team seems to be counting on No. 24 playing.  Something about "needing to showcase him for John Paxson."

Kidding.  Kidding.

Also, congrats to Coby Karl on making the squad.  Here's a look at everyone currently in the L.  Good  lord, is that Timberwolves roster seriously unimpressive.   

-- AK 

Only 36 hours or so until we can stop all the speculatin'.

Yep, after months of turmoil, drama and tension, the Lakers will play an actual real live game Tuesday night at Staples against the Rockets.  So for one day, maybe, the national focus will be on what the Lakers do on the court rather than what happens off it.

Yeah, we don't believe that either. 

Rumors continued to swirl, though the idea that something is going to happen quickly isn't one being touted in El Segundo, and folks in Chicago aren't necessarily buying either.  Perhaps Washington is where people should really be looking?   Kobe would have to expand his list of acceptable destinations, of course.  Cynics wonder if the constant rumors make it easier for Kobe to deal with writers who have written off L.A.'s chances to shock the world this season.  After all, if 24 gets his wish, he won't be around for the potentially ugly conclusion.  And should something happen, this information about the financial future of a couple potential Lakers might be fairly important.

At least one guy isn't all doom and gloom when it comes to predicting the Lakers' chances for success.