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• Vote: How many wins would the Nets have with Phil Jackson as coach?
• Rank 'Em: Who is Jackson's main competition as the best coach working today?

What do Bill Belichick and Geno Auriemma have in common? How about Urban Meyer, Nick Saban and Joe Torre? Or Pat Summitt and Mack Brown? Add up any of those combinations and the total number of championships still falls short of those which Phil Jackson won all by his lonesome. (We also would have accepted an unmatched ability to be taken seriously while wearing shades of orange for the last one.)

Jackson didn't add to his championship haul Wednesday night, but he did reinforce his place as the best coach of his generation, and in the debate for the best of all time, by passing Pat Riley for the most wins in Lakers history. Not too shabby considering the guy won six championships with another franchise. In fact, with apologies to Colbert Nation, there is really only one formidable opponent for the Zen Master: Phil Jackson.

So which version is more responsible for the success his teams enjoyed: Chicago Phil or Los Angeles Phil?

Justin (Detroit)

AK/BK, with all of the talk of GLOAT, let's talk a bit about GLCOAT. Is it Phil or Riley? Is rings all that matter in this debate?

ESPN Los Angeles' Brian Kamenetzky

Hey Dylan-I'm going Randy Pfund. I kid. I think this one is as tough as any to call. Their coaching records are nearly identical, from the regular season to the playoffs (Riley has the better percentages in both, but in the postseason the difference is negligible). The titles are the same, the conference titles nearly identical. I think when it's over, PJ will probably pull ahead, but right now I'd call it a push.The one thing, maybe, that gives PJ an advantage would be he did it with two very different teams. Full transcript | Land O' Lakers blog

Jake (Portland, OR)

In the not-so-distant-future, do you see Buss blowing up the Lakers once Kobe Bryant finally retires? We're talking about this at work today. Will they end up like Chicago, struggling to find another superstar to lead the team? Think it's fair to compare losing Bryant in L.A. to Chicago losing Jordan?

J.A. Adande

I believe Buss is willing to go all in right now to squeeze out a few more championships in the Kobe era and then will ease up after shelling out so much luxury tax $. There's a difference between Chicago and LA, though, in that the Lakers will have to stay competitive in order to keep selling tickets. The Bulls had suites sales locked into long-term contracts after Jordan retired, and ticket sales remained strong because United Center had become a destination (the house that Jordan built). L.A. doesn't work that way. The Lakers couldn't withstand a 7-year playoff drought the way the Bulls did. A good test case will be the crowds at the Coliseum if Lane Kiffin can't maintain that Pete Carroll momentum at USC. Full transcript

• Rank 'Em: Are the Celtics still one of the 10 best teams in the NBA?
• Vote: How many times out of 10 would Ray Allen make his not-so-game-winning shot?
• Chat: Chris Sheridan takes your NBA questions, 3 ET

The Lakers came to Boston in the midst of an eight-game trek through the wilds of the NBA (have you been to Toronto in January?), but it was the Celtics who came away from Sunday's showdown looking like extras alongside Denzel Washington in "The Book of Eli" or Viggo Mortensen in "The Road" -- disheveled and not worth two hours of your time.

Chris Sheridan suggests it may be time to break up Boston's Big Three by trading Ray Allen. But SportsNation isn't quite ready to bail on the Celtics -- at least not the 60-plus percent of voters who think the current three-game losing streak is more of a bump in the road than the end of the road.

But with the Cavaliers pulling clear of the pack in the Eastern Conference, the question is which team do they least want to see in the playoffs? The defending conference champs? The up-and-coming athletic Hawks? Or all those old guys in green who could benefit from the abundant days off in the postseason?

“

3 games in a row the celtics couldn't close out the game in the 4th. in their defense they played 3 top teams, hawks, magic, lakers. they need to open up the bench or else the starters are going to be really beat up come the end of the season.

” -- 818decleater

“

The C's are not dead. If the cavs and magic sleep on the C's they are in for a rude awakening.

” -- SirLazywolf

• Vote: Do the Lakers need Chris Bosh to defend their title?
• Chat: J.A. Adande on Lakers, Cavs and everything NBA, 3 ET (12 PT).
• Chat: ESPN Los Angeles' Andrew Siciliano talks L.A. sports, 12:30 ET (9:30 PT).

The Eastern Conference will be at a disadvantage against the Western Conference in the All-Star Game as long as Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett are starting and there aren't any DeLoreans involved. But did the East's best team just throw the West up for grabs?

Almost exactly a month ago, the talk was about the Lakers challenging Michael Jordan's Bulls record for most wins in a season. All right, actually we were talking about that; you were a little more realistic in saying the Lakers would win between 66-69 games. Then again, a month ago, Conan O'Brien still had a show. And after dropping a 93-87 decision against a Cavaliers team that didn't have Mo Williams, the Lakers would need to close 34-6 just to reach 66 wins.

So here we are. The Lakers still lead all challengers in the West by four games. But between Kobe's finger, Pau Gasol and Ron Artest's intermittent frailty and the sweep by the Cavaliers, are the Lakers vulnerable? Here's how SportsNation sized up their challengers.

mike (ca)

Loved you on the sports guys podcast, got to do it again, any moves by the lakers??

Chad Ford

I think there is one big move for the Lakers ... Bynum for Bosh. If they don't make that happen then I don't think they make a deal. Full transcript

Stephen (Glendora, CA)

what about the bosh for bynum (and others) trade - might not have any stock, but you guys think it would be worth doin for us in LA? Bosh can be pretty beastly.

ESPN Los Angeles' Andy Kamenetzky

Stephen,Were that deal was a true possibility (and I don't think it really is, for what that's worth), the Lakers would obviously have to consider it, because Bosh is too good a player not to. The key is how confident they are in Drew and Pau meshing. It's easy to forget the two haven't played together a lot because of injuries, and getting two seven-footers like that on the same page takes time. If they think it won't happen, you make the deal. If they think it will, you stand pat with what's still a frontcourt most teams would kill for. Full transcript

joe (toronto)

John...I keep hearing these Bosh for Bynum trade proposals, but wouldn't the Lakers want to make sure they can re-sign Bosh to a long term deal before giving up a promising young center?

John Hollinger

Yes, they would want to be sure, but I've heard that wouldn't be an impediment -- Bosh, like most players, would happily re-up with L.A. Full transcript

• Vote: What's your take now on Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James?
• Chat: John Hollinger talks Kobe, LeBron and all things NBA, 12 ET.

Some things never change. SportsNation still wants Kobe Bryant taking the shot with the game on the line. And voters -- no matter what Braylon Edwards thinks -- would still rather hang with LeBron James. But as the league's two signature stars prepare to battle for the final time in the regular season, has the debate about them changed in other ways?

Right around Christmas two years ago, voters overwhelmingly thought Kobe was the better player. By a similar margin, they tabbed LeBron as the better leader at that time. But on the eve of this season's Christmas showdown, LeBron had closed ground on the first question and Kobe had lapped him on the leadership question.

As recently as last week, Kobe and LeBron received a combined 3,103 first-place votes when SportsNation ranked the best players in the NBA. The other 23 candidates received a grand total of 334 first-place votes. But if these two are a world apart from their peers, how do they stack up against each other?

brady wilbanks (texas)

how much longer do you think kobe will be "kobe".. in other words, one of the stars of the NBA

ESPN Los Angeles' Andy Kamenetzky

Brady, Kobe's got a good three years left, I would think. He's showing no signs of slowing down and his game hasn't dropped off at all. And with this kind of supporting cast, the team will always be competitive and there's less wear and tear on Bryant, which helps that cause. Full transcript

jay (grand rapids )

Who do you think is the MVP so far? You are probably going to say Kobe. But seriously, Lebron is ten times more productive, ex. Kobe 10-30 vs. the Clippers. Sure Kobe made a couple of buzzer beaters against mediocre teams, but does that make that much of difference.

J.A. Adande

My pick in November would have been Carmelo. In December it was LeBron. Kobe has Gasol with him (when he's with him)...that diminishes his candidacy. Full transcript

• Vote: Which teams will win each of the five Christmas Day NBA games?
• Vote: What's your take on Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James?
• ESPN Los Angeles: The Kamenetzky brothers blog on Pau Gasol's contract extension.

Christmas may or may not bring families together, but the NBA gives basketball fans a gift by bringing Kobe Bryant and LeBron James together for Friday's game in Los Angeles (as for gifting us the Knicks and Heat at Madison Square Garden, sorry, no returns).

But where do things stand for the sport's two biggest stars?

At just about this time two years ago, on the eve of another set of Christmas appearances for Kobe and LeBron (our generation's version of Dickens or Jimmy Stewart), SportsNation had strong opinions on the individual rivalry.

David R (Los Angeles)

Do you guys think that Kobe should be deferring a little more right now, maybe playing less minutes with the injured finger? As we saw last night injuries can lead to more injuries.

Land O' Lakers Blogger Brian Kamenetzky

David: I think he's doing okay. I'm always up for the Lakers spreading the ball, and shots, around more, but I don't think (other than maybe some moments in the Utah game where he was clearly testing the splint) he's been gunning unapologetically. It's a question of balance in the offense, and keeping guys like Gasol and Bynum, who shoot at a high percentage, involved. As for the finger, I don't think medically it makes much of a difference if he sits or plays. The healing time is about the same, assuming no re-injury (about six weeks). Full transcript

John (Downsville)

do you think celtics will win the championship and why

Land O' Lakers Blogger Andy Kamenetzky

John: First of all, I hope life in Downsville is happier than it sounds on the surface (haha). As for your actual question, I think the Celts COULD win the title, and they're certainly in the mix, assuming everyone (and by "everyone," I mostly mean "KG") stays healthy. I actually have them in the Finals against the Lakers. Having said that, I think the 2008 rematch will go the Lakers' way. Between the frontcourt and Artest being able to stay on Pierce, I think they've got Boston a little more outgunned than two seasons ago. Full transcript

• Lakers chats: Derek Fisher, 1 PT | Jeanie Buss, 2 PT | Jordan Farmar, 3:30 PT
• Vote: Are this season's Lakers historically great or merely very good?
• Your Rankings: Are the Lakers No. 1 in your Power Rankings? | Greatest Lakers ever?

As we welcome ESPN Los Angeles to the fold (and by welcome, we mean silently curse your weather with every dip of the snow shovel) the day after the Lakers improved to 22-4, it seems like a good time to ponder the team's immediate future.

In the aftermath of last season's championship. SportsNation voters -- including majorities in every state other than California, Nevada and New Mexico -- said the Lakers would not win back-to-back titles. That may still prove true, but when we're four days out from Christmas and Kobe Bryant's team has four losses in two months, it's getting tougher to envision them losing four times in one playoff series.

And considering the Lakers are on pace to win 69.4 games, is it time to start whispering about 70 wins -- if not the 1995-96 Bulls and 72 wins? In a SportsNation chat last Thursday, ESPN.com's John Hollinger pulled in the reins.

Tyrone (St Petersburg)

If the Lakers and Celtics played a 7 game series now who would you pick to win?

John Hollinger

If we tipped off tonight I would go with Boston; I just don't think L.A. is playing that well right now compared to what their ceiling is. I still suspect L.A. will be the better team in June. Full transcript

• Vote: Which NBA stars are the easiest to like and dislike?
• Your Rankings: Are the Lakers No. 1 in your NBA Power Rankings?

It's not Ronnie Lott chopping off part of a finger to get back on the field or Bobby Baun scoring a game-winning playoff goal for the Maples Leafs on a broken ankle. But a basketball player scoring 42 points with a broken index finger ... on his shooting hand? That'll make you feel a little guilty for skipping work with a cough.

Kobe Bryant's broken finger didn't stop him from scoring 42 points in a win against the Bulls, his fifth 40-point effort of the season. But for SportsNation, it appears respecting Kobe isn't the same as liking him. Voters are split as to whether LeBron or Kobe is the game's best player (with Carmelo Anthony in the role of Ralph Nader). But consider how the numbers look when it comes to actually liking the two super-est of superstars.

Maybe it's because Kobe is the only guy who can come off as selfish while he takes one for the team. After all, with the Lakers cruising in the West, did he really need to tough out the broken finger for a regular-season game in December against the woeful Bulls?

matt (florida)

Chad, what do you think of Kobe's decision to play through the injury to his shooting hand? Might it not be wiser for Kobe to rest and let the bone break heal early in the season so he is fully healthy for the playoffs and doesn't risk reinjuring/aggravating it?

Chad Ford

Kobe knows his own body better than I do. But it seems to me that it may be a case of a player overestimating his value to the team. Kobe may be thinking that the Lakers would sink in the West if he took a few weeks off to rest. While I believe they would take a hit, I think the Lakers would be very competitive in the West, even without Kobe. Full transcript

Bobby (Seattle)

Im from LA but your so one sided in your love for kobe its disgusting. Do you really think he's better than Mj?

J.A. Adande

I really wish people could read and not project their own thoughts on what I write. Do a google search and find an instance I've ever said Kobe Bryant was better overall than Jordan. What I said was that I'd pick him to take the last shot over MJ, just because Kobe is better at making bad shots. If you're not assured of having enough time to get a clean look, I'd rather have the guy who can hit it under any circumstance. Full transcript

Lakers fans are understandably excited about the new season, and the defending champs are a popular choice to repeat among bloggers in the ESPN.com community.

"I've never been more excited for the opening of any season, any sport," blogs kurtnaphansen. "The combination of being on the heels of the Lakers winning the NBA championship, of all the trash talk from Cavs, Celtics, Magic, Spurs and even Blazers fans, and of a very new interesting development with the addition of Sheed to Boston, Shaq to Cleveland and Artest to LA."

Below are fan blogs and predictions about the season, which tipped off this week. Click through to respond. If you don't already have an ESPN profile, create one now and start blogging.

More fan blogs

Fan pictures

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd have finalized their rosters and hung the bunting for "SportsNation" TV.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPN2 at 4 p.m. and midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Are the Celtics going to win the NBA title?
Boston started well with a win in Cleveland against the Cavs, who have their own title aspirations. Is the first game predictive of the entire season?

Are the Phillies being disrespected heading into the World Series?
Only one of the experts on ESPN.com is picking Philadelphia to win. National sentiment, including in Vegas, favors the Yankees over the defending champs.

Is it time for fans of bad teams to root for better draft positioning?
The Titans, Rams and Bucs are winless. Seven others have one or two wins. Miracles happen, but a high draft pick is more likely than a playoff spot.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

• Vote: What's your take on the season's opening night?
• Beyond the Nation: Cleveland Plain Dealer on Shaq's assesment.
• Chats: NBA Insider David Thorpe, 12 ET | Chad Ford's Tuesday wrap

Posting his NBA predictions minutes before the season's opening tip, SportsNation blogger Dukeyanks1515 pegged the Cavaliers as the best of the Eastern Conference, two spots ahead of the Celtics. Oops. (We'll cut him some slack; he also had the Wizards No. 5 in the East and the Mavericks No. 7 in the West, predictions which look downright prescient after Gilbert Arenas torched Mark Cuban's team in a 102-91 win).

As Tuesday debuts go, Shaquille O'Neal's was rather less successful than, say, the new Michael Jackson movie. Actually, it was less successful than Randy Foye's first game with the Wizards. O'Neal put up 10 points, 10 rebounds and one block in 29 minutes, and the Cavaliers dropped a 95-89 decision to the Celtics. But whether Shaq actually improves the Cavaliers is just one question we've got after the first night of games. Also on the agenda:

• Is Gilbert Arenas one the five best players in the league when healthy? Vote
• Would you rather have Andrew Bynum or Greg Oden for the next decade? Vote
• Did Ron Artest or Rasheed Wallace look like a better fit in victory? Vote

“

C's have the better bench now, which is why it was a relatively easy win tonight. When is Cleveland going to bring in a real PG for Lebron? Mo Williams is garbage; an undersized SG pretending to play PG. He can't set up his teammates, he gets exposed defensively, and if his shot isn't going down, then what's his value?

” -- dinosaurworld

“

It's one game and according to Celtic's fans they have already won the NBA championship. They fail to realize that two of our starters are new to the system and it will take them awhile to get acquainted. There was some sloppy play by the Cavs that will be corrected as time goes on.

” -- eatthegator