After just two games into the season, it's hard not to be impressed by the Los Angeles Lakers and their pair of wins (by a combined total of 58 points).  The training camp buzzword of "defense" sounded nice but that's often nothing more than an empty NBA preseason cliché.

If the team took anything out of their 39-point drubbing by the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, it's that the only way for LA to redeem themselves is to borrow a page from the Celtics and make defense an absolute priority.

With 12 of 14 players returning from last season, the coaching staff didn't need to spend a significant amount of time teaching the triangle offense.  Instead, Coach Phil Jackson used much of the time to install a new defensive system.

"The new rules in the NBA game that have been adopted in the last what four or five years - I think Shaquille [O'Neal] called then the 'Shaq rules to stop me from scoring'.  Those rules have changed our game," said Jackson before the Lakers' home opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.  "Now you can load up a side and you can do things that change the game.  Last year we experimented with it at times but we didn't whole-heartedly adapt what other team's have been taking advantage of with the new rules situation."

LA surprised the Blazers with their aggressive, trapping defense.  Guard Brandon Roy was constantly under attack, missing his first nine shot attempts.

"We didn't expect this level of intensity," said Roy after the game.

The Lakers are utilizing a zone on the strong side of the floor (typically where the point guard is handling the ball).  Extra Laker defenders work to disrupt the play before it forms - moving quickly to rotate as the ball gets moved from player to player.

Jackson has historically preferred man-to-man defense - but is willing to modify his own philosophy to adapt to the ever-changing NBA.

"I always feel [a zone] leaves your weakside vulnerable to three-point shooting but this is something we're experimenting with this year." said Jackson.  "That's why we spent more time defensively [in camp]."

It certainly appeared to work against the Blazers.

"They disrupted our whole offense and our whole system," said forward Channing Frye.  "They completely threw us off and they definitely proved a point tonight."

Interestingly enough, Jackson's worry about three-point shooting had some merit.  Portland hit a high volume of shots at an efficient 41.7% clip (10-24).  Despite the barrage from long range, the Blazers didn't even crack 80 points for the game.

Jackson was pleased at the 96-76 outcome but saw room for improvement.

"I think it's still a problem to give up threes.  They had looks and we didn't recover quickly enough to players who are three-point shooters," said the Lakers Coach.  "We didn't cover those passing lanes and that's really one of the ideas that you do when you slide into that type of zone defense that you really get after that.  We let the balls get through to the cross court passes that opened up those shooters.  We're going to have to cover that."

There was much debate after the game.  How much of the blow out was the Lakers?  How much of it was the Blazers?

Both Jackson and Lakers star guard Kobe Bryant saw it as a mixture.  Backup point guard Jordan Farmar was willing to credit the team.

"I think a lot of it was us," said Farmar.  "You look at a lot of possessions and there was just nothing open on the floor.  I'm watching from the bench and we're clapping and cheering, talking to each other, switching when needed - all the little things that we had to do - we did it tonight."

"If you give up only contested jump shots, you're going to win more times than not," continued Farmar.  "You can't leave somebody on an island or expect the pick and roll to get solved with two defenders - it's all five working at the same time working together talking rotating shifting and  making it tough on the other team."

The question may still not be answered, even after the Lakers blew out the Los Angeles Clippers the following night 117-79.  It's going to take a sustained effort over many months to show that the Lakers are truly a defensive force to be reckoned with.

With the offensive weapons General Manager Mitch Kupchak has assembled, the Lakers should be able to put a lot of points on the board this season.  That, in and of itself, may not be enough to win a championship.

"We can score 80-100 points with the talent we have every night," said Farmar.  "It's just about how we can hold other teams to tough nights and make them take tough shots.  If we can do that every night and really be consistent and be professionals about it - we can be really special."

Consistency is the key - the Lakers have been dominant for all of 2.4% of the season.  There are still 80 games to go.

"The point is keeping it up," said forward Lamar Odom.  "We want to keep it up for six months.  Hopefully it will carry into the playoffs and home court advantage."

After taking a moment to adjust to the transition, Odom has accepted and embraced coming off the bench.  He admits it was difficult at first.

"Ego-wise it was.  Once I put that to the side," said Odom.  "I walked into the locker room on my first meeting and was like 'This is a championship-caliber team and I want to be a part of it.'

"Being a success in the NBA is defined by winning - so if I can win, I'll play whatever role I have to."

As he celebrated the team's second win, he drew attention to his flamboyant apparel (a well-tailored suit trimmed with the Laker colors).

"Oh yeah, you're catching on," he laughed.  "Gold and purple right?  It's Lakers.  It's pride.  It's pride."

With so much attention on the defense, it's important not to overlook the offensive balance the Lakers have shown.  Gone are the days when Kobe Bryant felt obligated to score 30-40 points a night just to keep the team competitive.

So far six Lakers are averaging double figures with the team shooting collectively 49.1% from the field and 58.6% from behind the arc.

Now Bryant is able to focus more defensively, saving his arsenal for later in the game when it's time to break the opponents back.

"I'm trying to figure out what I can compare it to - Lance Armstrong going through the Pyrenees and letting his Discovery teammates pull him up the hill," said Bryant referring to the champion Tour de France cyclist.  "Then when he needs to sprint, then he'll sprint.  That's what it feels like and it's a great feeling."

Still, Bryant doesn't want to dwell too much on the offense.

"The thing that we want to do is be a great defensive team consistently.  Offensively we believe we can score with anybody," said Bryant.  "Defensively is where we really want to make our mark on the season."

Coach Jackson explained how it's difficult to completely isolate the two.

"Your defense comes from your offense and your offense comes from your defense - those two things are joined together inextricably.  In football you can stop play and bring in 11 new guys," said Jackson.  "In basketball, those guys have to play together on both ends of the floor:  taking good shots, controlling the ball, controlling the tempo - all of those things contribute to defense."

Meanwhile Odom, who is often criticized by the media, fans and even the coaching staff for not being consistently aggressive, sees a steady outlet for his versatility.

"Offensively when you lose a game and you depend on your offense, you say oh look someone only took seven shots - they weren't aggressive," said Odom.  "When you see the team playing defense like we're playing, you understand that everybody's being aggressive." 

The Lakers visit the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, getting another opportunity to prove that the new defensive concept is a trait ingrained into the fiber of the team - and not just an early season state of mind.

Andrew Bynum's Extension
The Lakers and Bynum reached a compromise on a contract extension that guarantees Bynum three years and approximately $42 million.  While it'll take a few days to get a look at the exact numbers, it appears Bynum will make about $13 million next year (potentially $1 million less than the maximum salary).

The Lakers hold a team option on a fourth year at about $16 million which gives the team some protection if Bynum's knee gives him further issues.

Basically the Lakers get a discount in dollars and years.  Bynum could have held out for five years, all guaranteed at ~$85 million instead of the $42-58 that was agreed upon.

"We're extremely happy to have signed Andrew to this extension, which will secure his immediate future with the franchise," said General Manager Mitch Kupchak in a prepared statement.  "Andrew has shown a vast array of skills for a player his size and if he continues to stay dedicated and work hard to improve, he has an excellent chance to develop into one of the top players in the NBA."

Bynum in turn can focus on his game without worrying about his long-term financial future - rather than waiting a year (risking injury) to go through the restricted free agent process.

"This has been a fantastic week for me so far: turning 21, winning our first two games of the season, and now getting this new contract signed," said Bynum. "This gives me and my family financial security, and more importantly, cements my future with the Lakers, which in my opinion is the best organization in all of professional sports. I couldn't be happier."

Bynum was recently caught on the internet "making it rain" by throwing money into a crowd while celebrating his birthday at a nightclub.

He took a moment to explain . . .

"I knew it hit YouTube.  Basically what happened is somebody gave me a $100 gift.  I gave it to everybody in the place," said Bynum.  "You know, a 21st birthday only happens one time."

Now that Bynum is under contract - and assuming Kobe Bryant either re-signs or doesn't opt out of his deal this summer - the Lakers will be deep into the luxury tax next season.

It's not clear how the team will be able to re-sign both Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza after this season, but that's a worry for a later date . . .