While many of us were busy unwrapping gifts and spending time with family yesterday, the Los Angeles Lakers were busy handing the Phoenix Suns their second loss in as many match-ups this season. Kobe got his; scoring 38 points with seven assists and five rebounds on the afternoon. The real story, however, was young center Andrew Bynum who scored a career high 28 points and had 12 rebounds against the West’s best center, Amare Stoudemire.

How about the collection of people that ESPN had no shame showing us yesterday? Ice Cube was in the house; hell we even got to listen to him talk up the Lakers like he was their GM. Phil Jackson went away from the standard tie and wore a red bow tie that, with his emo black glasses, made him look more like the king of chicken than the boss of the Lakers sideline. And then there was David Arquette who was undoubtedly taking a break from making a shitty movie and paid for his courtside tickets with what was left from his compensation check from the Scream trilogy. And how about that jam that Trevor Ariza had yesterday? Grant Hill got a face full of crotch and was absolutely posterized by a dunk that was so incredible that it was like an extra Christmas present from Santa Ariza to all the viewers. Hey Grant, not even a jolt of Sprite was going to save you from that tea-bagging.

So where should we put this Lakers team when we start looking at the big picture in the West? At 18-10 they certainly are having a better year than most pundits, myself included, expected. Andrew Bynum’s development from last year to this year has been the equivalent of night and day and his developing dominance in the low post is reminding me more and more of another guy who used to play in the paint for the Lakers. Might the Lakers have found the second scorer Kobe had been bitching about in the off season without even making a move? This team has to show me they aren’t going to wear down like they have in years past but until then I’d say the Lakers are quickly becoming a contender again.