That article doesn't surprise me. I'm glad to know the players on that team want to win. Would be pretty depressing if they lost and, all they did was talk about the record.
Looking at it another way, if Artest made that 3 pointer to win the game, Gasol probably wouldn't have made those honest comments. They would have come out another day anyway. He does have a point in what he says as well.
Yeah, the media will focus on what Gasol said to start something up but, Phil Jackson had it all on point.
Jackson told the team at halftime, when Bryant had 23 of the Lakers’ 50 points, that Bryant was “forcing the action.” Jackson also said in the halftime locker room, alluding to the 29 points Bryant needed in the game to pass Jerry West: “Let’s get him over the hump, so we can play team ball again.”
That road trip ending 5-3 is ok but really, its not good.