Another Banner Night Feels as Good as Ever

At the start of Year 3 at Staples Center, we’ve found a major design flaw: not enough space for Laker championship banners.

They currently hang two to a column (or “bay” in Staples-speak) on the west side of the building. And after unveiling their 2001 banner Tuesday night, there’s no more room in this symmetrical layout. A Staples Center official said that in the off-season they plan to re-arrange the eight banners to hang three to a column, which would free up four spots.

The way things are going that only would get them through the next four years.

They’ll toy with the league this year the way they toyed with the Portland Trail Blazers in a season-opening 98-87 victory Tuesday night.

Laker Coach Phil Jackson calls this the most talented roster he’s had in L.A.

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are clicking, and O’Neal isn’t even in shape yet.

With the additions of Lindsey Hunter and Mitch Richmond the Lakers will have their most potent backcourt, once Derek Fisher returns from foot surgery, since Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones departed.

Asking Richmond to score between eight and 10 points a night is like asking Bill Gates to pick up the tab for lunch at McDonald’s. It’s nothing for him. And he’s so happy to get a shot at a ring he probably would even sweep the floors at Staples Center if they asked him.

The Lakers are executing the triangle offense they way it should be. As a result they’re getting quality shots almost every time down the court.

They’ll lose their share of games, but mostly because there will be nights when they lose interest.

The only question mark this season is at starting power forward, where Samaki Walker replaces Horace Grant. But Robert Horry still will get the bulk of the minutes. Especially in the fourth quarter. Even more so in June.

The Lakers don’t have a real backup center. But they won the past two championships with John Salley and Greg Foster behind O’Neal, so take your concerns to another department.

Are the Lakers thinking dynasty?

“No,” O’Neal said, in the process of putting on his massive shoes.

He looked up, seeking clarification.

“What is a dynasty?” he asked.

“Extended dominance” was the definition offered.

“Then, yeah,” he said. “Hell yeah.”

Right now the biggest potential glitch isn’t on the court, but on the sideline. Jackson is 56. He has only two years left on his contract after this season. He has absolutely nothing to prove. He has a bad hip, bad back and bad knees.

His agent, Todd Musburger, said the odds are “very high” that Jackson will finish out the contract. As for staying on beyond that, “I don’t even think Phil knows the answer to that right now,” Musburger said.

But Tuesday night was the time to stop and acknowledge the past. It was time to think about the happiness of June and the horror of September.

That was an odd combination to fit in before the game, but the Lakers managed to pull it off successfully.

Yes, it was appropriate to hold the ring ceremony on this night, when the league was pausing to remember the victims and the events of Sept. 11.

After all of the sadness, there’s nothing like watching people celebrate. That’s the best thing about sports right now, seeing players high-five and fans cheer and coaches jump in the air in excitement. We need reminders that it feels good to feel good.

So the Lakers did their ring thing.

And don’t hate NBA Commissioner David Stern because he stayed in New York. The league headquarters are in New York, the greatest loss of life and destruction was in New York. He needed to be there. This wasn’t a snub of the Lakers to watch the Michael Jordan Return in Madison Square Garden. (Besides, he left the Garden early to go to the New Jersey Net game at the Meadowlands for another ceremony. I can’t think of anyone who actually wants to be in East Rutherford, N.J., under any circumstance, so you know he was only doing his duty.)

At first the crowd booed assistant commissioner Russ Granik, who fulfilled Stern’s duties of dispensing the jewelry. But after an admonition by master of ceremonies Chick Hearn, they cheered him.

Staples Center President Tim Leiweke kicked off the festivities. Here’s what I like about Leiweke, and why I think he should seriously consider running for public office: at all of these ceremonies, he knows that no one wants to hear him talk. So he uses as few words as possible and jets out before most people even figure out who’s speaking.

Here’s all of what he had to say Tuesday: “Last spring, we watched Philadelphia hang banners on buildings, on bridges, that said ‘Beat L.A.’ Tonight, we’ll teach them that you hang banners on arena walls ...

“Please welcome Grammy award-winner Seal.”

And with that he stepped off and let Seal sing John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

The whole ceremony had an L.A. feel to it. The patriotic video that accompanied “Imagine” featured a hilltop “Hollywood” sign, not purple mountain majesties. It was a star-studded lineup, with Vanessa Williams singing “God Bless America” and Jeffrey Osborne performing the national anthem.

But, just like last year, the first sight of the new banner brought out the loudest cheers of the night.

The banners are getting to be like sunny days in L.A. It never gets old, no matter how many there are.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at [email protected].