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Earlier today I quoted Mike Moreau on the Lakers: "They are in a fight, and even though the rounds may be even on the scorecard, they are taking many more punches than they are giving. When bodies collided in Game 4, it was a Laker that usually ended up on the floor. L.A. must come out more physical and aggressive in Game 5. This means banging bodies, jamming cutters and winning the physical confrontations in defensive and rebounding situations. Everything else in Game 5 for them is secondary."

Notice the talk of physicality and violence? The Lakers are thinking in those same terms, according to this report from ESPN's Shelley Smith:

A team source said Wednesday morning that some Laker players were upset with reserve center D.J. MBenga. In Game 4, Mbenga let Denver's Dahntay Jones score on an uncontested dunk late in the game -- even after Jones had thoroughly tripped Kobe Bryant.

They thought he should at least hard-foul him, instead of turning away.

And the Lakers know that fans will expect some sort of retaliation -- baseball style -- tonight in Game 5.

But Lamar Odom says that would be too obvious, adding that there are so many plays in a basketball game and so many ways to hard foul a guy or set a hard pick, that fans might not even notice. He said it wouldn't be retaliation, instead, "sending a message.”

Denver GM Mark Warkentien said Jones was not a dirty player, but did call him a "dirty dog defender,” which had Odom shaking his head in agreement. "The perception is Kenyon Martin is a dirty player, but he's not,” Odom said, "he just plays hard.”

Odom said he's seen a lot of dirty plays in his basketball career and said Jones' trip of Bryant was "creative, especially away from the ball.”

No Laker wants to get into a verbal or any other kind of confrontation with the Nuggets, who have been known for tough physical play all season.

The Nuggets flew into Los Angeles late Tuesday night and did not shoot around Wednesday morning. The Lakers, on the other hand, met at their El Segundo practice facility and shot for about 30 minutes. As for Phil Jackson, who was fined $25,000 by the league for criticizing the referees, Jackson said it tells him "how sensitive the league is,” to these things adding, "I thought I was being kind to them.”