Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson were not happy with the way Game 4 was officiated. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

The inconsistent officiating in the NBA playoffs is becoming predictable. In Game 3, the Los Angeles Lakers were awarded 45 free throws and won 103-97. In Game 4, the Denver Nuggets were awarded 49 free throws and won 120-101. It is coincidence? Neither coach doesn’t believe it is.

Nuggets Coach George Karl reasoned his players “could not get a feel for the whistle” during the loss in Game 3. After his Lakers lost in Game 4, it was Phil Jackson’s turn to take the mic to voice his displeasure. He was quick to point out the 49-35 free-throw disparity and the 31-24 personal foul differential, both in favor of the Nuggets. The Lakers starting frontcourt of Andrew Bynum (5), Pau Gasol (4) and Trevor Ariza (5) combined for 14 personal fouls. Add Lamar Odom’s (5) and Luke Walton’s (6) fouls to the mix and it’s a 25-12 disadvantage for the Lakers’ big men.

The usually cool and calm Zen Master took out his frustration on Los Angeles Times columnist T.J. Simers. When Simers brought up the subject of the Lakers not competing all the time, Jackson paused and replied: “I’ll explain it to you in deep terms, okay.

“Basketball is a game where the aggressor gets the advantage. And tonight, we didn’t know what a foul was and what wasn’t a foul,” Jackson explained. “The start of the ballgame, we got guys knocked around going to the basket and they said we’re gonna let these things go. And by the end of the ballgame, little fouls were being called all over the place. Forty-nine foul shots in a sequence of a game like that. That’s not how we wanted to play and that’s not what we wanted to do in a game.”

When Simers tried to interrupt Jackson, the Lakers coach told Simers, “Just be quiet while you’re standing there. You asked me a question and I’ll give you the answer, alright.”

Jackson continued, “So, as the momentum changes in a ballgame like that, you’re always on your heels because guys are now in foul trouble. Then you’re not the aggressor anymore. Then you’re the guy that’s defensively playing the game. And that’s what I don’t like.”

The thorough analysis from Jackson is sure sign that the Lakers coach is clearly irritated by what he witnessed in Game 4. And he’s also clearly irritated with Simers, who followed up his initial question by asking Jackson, “So, are you saying it’s the referees and not your team’s inability to compete all the time?” To which Jackson responded by saying, “No. I don’t think I said that. I think you’re trying to put words in my mouth and I’m not gonna let you do that.”

In defense of Simers, Jackson was clearly criticizing the refs and placed much of the blame on the officials without calling them out by name. The Zen Master will surely get a call from Stu Jackson and could be hit with a costly fine, which is fine by Jackson. He basically used the post-game news conference as a platform to make his argument.

Jackson pointed out a sequence of events late in the fourth quarter that helped the Nuggets pull away from the Lakers. He said Walton went across the lane and got hit in the throat by Nene, and no foul was called. When Walton complained to the officials, he was whistled for three fouls in a row that awarded Carmelo Anthony six consecutive free throws.

“The referee gave him (Walton) a technical and subsequently gave him three consecutive fouls,” Jackson said. “That kind of disparity we don’t like in ballgames. That’s not equal refereeing, and those are the things that changes the course of games and we don’t like that. We want the game fair and evenly played.”

One unfair play that was completely missed by the referees was the obvious tripping foul on Nuggets forward Dahntay Jones that got Kobe Bryant steaming. When Bryant was asked about it, he sarcastically said, “I fell on my face for no reason. I’m a klutz.”

Jackson called Jones’ alleged dirty play “unacceptable defense” and “unsportsmanlike basketball.” He also said it’s not the first time Jones had done such a thing during the series.

But the noncalls was just part of the Lakers’ woes in Game 4. After spending an enormous amount of energy in winning the previous game, the Lakers appeared to be tired on Monday and the numbers supported that as the Nuggets outrebounded them, 58-40, a clear indication the visiting team was suffering from fatigue.

“We just didn’t get to the ball. Their offensive rebounding disparity was quite obvious. A lot of it was breakdowns so there’s some action to create situations where our bigs needed to help, so they’re weren’t ready (to rebound),” Jackson said on how the Nuggets collected 20 offensive rebounds to the Lakers’ 9.

Bryant had a more unsubtle response to the Lakers’ rebounding woes. “They just kicked our ass,” Bryant said. “They whupped us.”

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Denver guard Chauncey Billups made just 2-of-7 3-pointers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Los Angeles Lakers Coach Phil Jackson made the first move in the Western Conference finals and now it is up to the Denver Nuggets to adjust. Jackson put Kobe Bryant, his best defender, on Nuggets point guard Chauncey Billups for much of Game 1. Even though Billups scored 18 points, he made just 38% of his field goals (5 of 13) and was just 2 of 7 from 3-point range in Denver’s 105-103 loss at Staples Center.

Entering the conference finals, Billups was shooting 54% from the field and making almost half of his 3-point shots (14 of 32). Jackson – who is 42-0 when he wins the first game of a playoff series – was definitely concerned about Billups before the series began. By putting Bryant on him early, the Lakers coach made it very clear that slowing down Billups is the key to winning the series. Jackson made a similar move during the 1998 playoffs when he assigned forward Scottie Pippen to smother Indiana Pacers point guard Mark Jackson in the beginning of that series.

Jackson was bitten by Billups before – he led the Detroit Pistons past the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals and was MVP of the Finals – and the Zen Master was not about to let that happen again. By making Billups work for every shot, Jackson is trying to kill the head of the snake. The Lakers are willing to live with Carmelo Anthony getting 39 points. But Bryant, along with Trevor Ariza and Shannon Brown, will not allow Billups to get comfortable.

Billups is playing in his seventh consecutive conference finals, a remarkable feat considering only three players have made more consecutive trips to the conference finals since 1970. Kurt Rambis played in seven straight Western Conference finals with the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Cooper, all members of the Showtime Lakers during the 1980s, made eight straight trips to the conference finals under Pat Riley.

Billups played in six consecutive Eastern Conference finals as a member of the Detroit Pistons. When Detroit traded Billups to Denver, the Pistons went south and failed to reach the second round. In fact, the Pistons failed to win a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Billups has stabilized Denver’s once undisciplined offense and has somehow taught the Nuggets how to play defense, which was like teaching a pitbull how to cuddle. Much like a veteran quarterback who does not throw interceptions, Billups rarely makes mistakes on offense and defense.

By taking away Billups, the Lakers are banking on the fact that the Nuggets, a team they swept out of the playoffs a year ago, will revert back to their old ways.

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O.J. Mayo of Memphis is a leading candidate for rookie of the year while L.A.'s Kobe Bryant is driving towards another MVP award. (REUTERS)

When he was a freshman at USC, O.J. Mayo spent his summer vacation playing one-one-one against Kobe Bryant at Bryant’s basketball camp held at Loyola Marymount in Marina del Rey. Bryant won most of the battles, but Mayo more than held his own against the player regarded as the best in the world.

Mayo’s basketball education that summer was also his introduction to the NBA. After going through the Kobe gauntlet, Mayo’s transition from college to pro has been a smooth one. It’s like going from boot camp to pilates. Through 51 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, the former high school All-American is averaging 19 points per game and is the only rookie ranked in the top 25 in scoring.

Meanwhile, Mayo’s sparring partner, Mr. Bryant, is piecing together another MVP season and could be in line for a rare double-double – winning MVP and defensive player in the same season, a feat that has only been done twice. Michael Jordan won league MVP and defensive player of the year in 1988 and Hakeem Olajuwon did the same in 1994.

At the unofficial halfway point of the 2008-09 NBA season, OneManFastbreak.net presents its midseason report card:

BEST TEAM IN THE WEST: Los Angeles Lakers – The Lakers were a perfect 6-0 in their recently concluded East Coast trip, highlighted by victories at Boston and at Cleveland. We might as well skip the rest of the regular season because my crystal ball says the L.A. Lakers will be in the NBA Finals and no team in the Western Conference, San Antonio included, will stand in the way of Kobe and Co.

BEST TEAM IN THE EAST: Boston Celtics – For a team that began the season 27-2, the Celtics are flying under the radar. Boston is still in position to repeat as Eastern Conference champs and is on a collision course with the Cavaliers. I’m predicting a Lakers-Spurs West Final and a Celtics-Cavs East Final. No need to watch the first couple of rounds in the playoffs because these four teams have distinguished themselves as the only worthy Final Four players.

MVP: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers – To be league MVP, you have to prove to the basketball jury, beyond reasonable doubt, that you are the top dog. We’ve witnessed LeBron James put together a super season for Cleveland, but there is enough evidence to make a case for Mr. Bryant. Exhibit A: His record-breaking 61-point performance at Madison Square Garden. Exhibit B: His late-game heroics helped the Lakers snap Boston’s 19-game winning streak on Dec. 25 and Boston’s 12-game winning streak on Feb. 5. Exhibit C: In two high-profile games against LeBron and the Cavs, Kobe’s Lakers won twice. Case closed!

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers – In their two head-to-head meetings, Kobe assigned himself to guard LeBron, who is two inches taller and about 40 pounds heavier, and all he did was turn King James into Prince James. With Kobe glued to his chest, LeBron shot 9-for-25 in L.A. and went 5-for-20 at the Q. In both games, Bryant showed James why he’s the reigning alpha male.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies – Easily the most consistent first-year player this season. His jump shot is better than advertised, shooting 44% from the field, 87% from the free-throw line and a respectable 38% from 3-point range. Mayo’s body of work for the season slightly outdoes Chicago’s Derrick Rose, who is second among rookies in scoring (16.9) and first in assists (6.3).

Rookie O.J. Mayo, left, has been one of the few bright spots for the Memphis Grizzlies. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Nate Robinson, New York Knicks – Don’t be enamored with Jason Terry or Manu Ginobili. Both are starters masking as reserves. Nate The Great averages 16 points per game in less than 30 minutes of floor time. He had back-to-back 30-point games the week before the All-Star break and had a 33-point outing last December at Staples Center against the Lakers. If there is a Knick player worth the price of admission at Madison Square Garden, it’s Nate Robinson.

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat – The Flash was left for dead last year after an assortment of injuries shut down his season. But he’s officially back. We saw a preview of things to come from Wade during the Beijing Olympics, and he has been spectacular through 52 games.

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER: Devin Harris, New Jersey Nets – A year has passed since the trade and  Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and GM Donnie Nelson wish they could take back Harris and send Jason Kidd packing because it has been embarrassingly one-sided. Harris has increased his scoring average from 14.4 to 21.8 and is clearly enjoying the freedom Nets coach Lawrence Frank has afforded him.  Kidd has not been a total bust, but has not provided the impact the Mavs had hoped for.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Phil Jackson, L.A. Lakers – It seems ridiculous that great coaches like Jackson, who owns nine championship rings, do not receive the proper credit they deserve. All he does is win despite the huge expectations placed on his teams at the start of each season. The Zen Master has won this award once (1996) and it’s time to give him another one.

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Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal share a light moment during the All-Star Game in Las Vegas (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

After being selected to his 15th – and possibly his final – NBA All-Star Game, Shaquille O’Neal began reflecting. It is something athletes do when they get to be a certain age and they start to see the finish line, and O’Neal is at that point now.

Regrets?

Oh, yeah. Shaq’s had a few of them. When the subject of being reunited, for one night at least, with former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and former Lakers coach Phil Jackson in the All-Star Game, O’Neal told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, “It’s going to bring back great memories. We’re gonna have fun.”

Then, O’Neal peaked Stephen A.’s attention when he said “Myself and  him (Kobe), we’re still the greatest Little Man, Big Man 1-2 punch ever created in the history of the game.”

That’s high praise to a tandem that was more combustible than fluid. The relationship between O’Neal and Bryant could be summed up with two words: high maintenance. Bryant was mostly the recipient of Shaq attacks and, for the most part, was able to absorb those shots and took the high road. Some of those arguments stayed in house, but a lot of them were played out through the media.

It came to a boiling point at the start of the 2003-04 season when Bryant was caught in the middle of a rape case in Colorado. Seeing his livelihood and his NBA in serious jeopardy, Bryant panicked and blurted out Shaq’s name, telling detectives that O’Neal paid women “all the time” to stay quiet. Kobe not only broke the brotherhood code but he also broke a longstanding unwritten rule among athletes that you never throw teammates under the bus.

It took a long time before O’Neal got over the fact that his “little brother” tried to bring him down. But like all arguments between family members, time heals everything that ills. The two of them may not be best of friends, but their relationship has gone from being combatants to more of a community.

“He’s probably the MVP this year. He’s a monster,” O’Neal said of Bryant.

Over LeBron?

“I’m not comparing, I’m just saying that young man (Kobe) is a beast. We all know he’s a beast. LeBron is a beast also, but (Kobe) is playing excellent ball right now. He’s got his team playing well; he’s leading by example.”

Shaquille O'Neal says Kobe Bryant is the MVP of the league this year. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

O’Neal has nothing but good thoughts about his time with the Lakers, a 360-degree turn from his past comments about the team that dealt him to Miami in 2004. As he looks back at his own career, he admitted that his time in L.A. was special.

“It was all about winning. We won three out of four. Can’t beat that. Nothing else matters. Should have been four out of four,” said O’Neal, who won three of his four championship rings as a Laker.

As for his opinion of the guy who helped him win three consecutive NBA titles in Los Angeles, O’Neal said “Always did love him. It was all marketing. And we helped you (the media) guys hype it up. I know what I’m doing. I’m the smartest player in the world.”

And Coach Jackson?

“He’s the greatest coach ever, and he’s done a lot for me,” O’Neal said. “Phil’s my guy.”

O’Neal and Bryant will forever be linked for what they accomplished with the Lakers. From 2000 to 2004, they were the most dominant duo in the league and one can only wonder how many championships the Lakers would have won had those two been able to set aside their petty differences and stayed together.

“Probably about six or seven (championships) … easily,” O’Neal said.

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