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The seeds for a rivalry were planted at STAPLES Center as the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks came to blows (well at least pushes/shoves) in a wild 110-82 Laker victory.

Seven people were ejected including three Lakers, two Mavericks and two fans (one a half-naked woman who tried to rush the Dallas bench).

So yeah, not your typical night at STAPLES.

Jason Terry fouled Steve Blake, adding in an extra shove that sent the Laker guard to the floor.  Blake isn’t one to back away from that sort of thing.  As he stepped forward to confront Terry, Matt Barnes gave Jason a shove.

Somehow Brendan Haywood got involved.  Dallas Assistant Coach Terry Stotts grabbed ahold of Barnes from behind and Matt eventually pushed him away as well.

"I didn’t even know who was grabbing me.  It was like [Referee] Joey [Crawford] bodied me in the middle of their bench.  So I’m just trying to walk to our bench and someone’s trying to bear-hug me," said Barnes.  "I didn’t realize it was a coach until I turned around and after he was kind of off me.  I definitely wouldn’t want to push a coach but he was bear-hugging me right on their bench.  I was just trying to get back to our bench."

Phil Jackson noted after the game that it’s not typical for a coach to grab an opponent.  The custom is to grab their own players.

Oh and later Brian Cardinal gave Pau Gasol a hard foul which led to a Shannon Brown shove and a slight awkward, tripping-over-the-Spaniard, swiping retaliation from Cardinal that got just air.

Ejections:  Terry (and a flagrant foul level two), Haywood, Blake, Barnes, Brown, half-naked woman and a rather large Mavericks fan in the stands.

You’re probably looking at one-game suspensions each for Terry and Barnes but that’s just an estimate.

"That’s what we’re supposed to do.  You can’t let that stuff slide.  Period," said Bryant of his teammate Barnes.

"It was tough for me to see it where I was sitting," continued Kobe. "Steve isn’t going to get upset for no reason."

Later Bryant acknowledged that Blake isn’t the best choice for opposing players to antagonize, although the language he used was far more colorful (and/or vulgar) than the paraphrase.

"You want guys who are going to take up for their teammates.  That’s a welcome addition.  You’ve got to do that," said Bryant.  "The same thing with Shannon.  They took a cheap shot at Pau and Shannon stepped in and isn’t going for that [expletive]."

Kobe agreed that management has fundamentally changed the character of the team since the NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics which left the Lakers with a reputation for being relatively soft (prior to their back-to-back titles).

"Yeah, we’ve got different players," laughed Bryant.  "It’s different DNA."

Also, a game was played in addition to the altercations though it was a second-half blow-out.  The Lakers won by 28 while holding Dallas to 31 in the final two quarters.

With the victory, the Lakers climb to 54-20, just 2 1/2 behind the San Antonio Spurs who visit LA on April 12th. 

The Mavericks drop to 53-22, two full losses behind LA but functionally three given the Lakers just earned the head-to-head tie-breaker (although by virtue of winning the Pacific Division, the season series may not have been the deciding factor).

"This game has been in our sights for a long time.  The game in Dallas and this one," said Jackson.  "We knew those were two games that were important or us if we’re going to step ahead of them."

While Jackson doesn’t endorse skirmishes, he thought the Lakers brought the right level of intensity to the game (specifically in the second half).

"We don’t want the game to end up like that but you want to see players competing and caring about the game at a level which brings that kind of intensity.  It’s just a build-up, a build up for what we can see down the road."

If the Lakers and Mavericks stay where they are currently seeded in the West at 2/3, they’ve got a decent chance to meet up in the second round if both advance.

"Each one has got a taste of the other team in their mouth and they know kind of what to expect," said Jackson.

The Mavericks were left discouraged by the loss but ultimately it’s just one game (even if it may have hurt Dallas’ chance to steal home court advantage).

"That’s the reason they’re the champions. They understand what it takes to win games like this," said Tyson Chandler.  They understand what it takes to be on top of the mountain.  They know exactly what to do, they know how to take us out of our offense . . . they did well tonight."

Dallas Coach Rick Carlisle tried to be positive after his team lost a big game.

"I still have a strong belief in our guys, I really do," said Carlisle.  "We had a tough night offensively and we were having a tough night on the boards."

The Lakers and Mavericks don’t have a true modern rivalry given that the two have yet to face each other in the postseason throughout the Phil Jackson/Mark Cuban/Kobe Bryant/Dirk Nowitzki era.

Jackson was throwing barbs at the Mavericks owner before the game.

"I know that Mark likes to prick the skin of people.  He’s not a player.  He just sits behind the bench with his sun-tanned face and make comments like that.  He’s got nothing to do with it," said Jackson.  "I know that he’s provided a great roster; [one] that’s almost as good as money can buy . . . but not quite."

Odom Outplays Terry

The battle for Sixth Man of the Year seems to be a race between Lamar Odom and Jason Terry.

On Thursday night it was Odom’s three straight three-pointers that blew open the game.  Meanwhile Terry struggled to score five-points on 2-9 shooting.

Odom finished with 16 points and 11 boards.

Before the game, Jackson joked that Odom would have to contribute to the game given that his reality show with wife Khloe Kardashian is set to debut on April 10th

"Lamar’s doing the show so he does have to go out [on the court] and produce," said Jackson.  "It’s going to be great."

After the game Jackson noted that Odom’s performance was a real "showcase" for the award.

Bryant agreed but noted that Lamar deserves the award for a tremendous season.

"He’s been playing like that all year.  For him, I’m sure it was kind of a challenge to be that Sixth Man of the Year," said Bryant.  "Terry has been a phenomenal sixth man for years but I think this is [Lamar's] time."

Odom has never been named an All-Star and while he has the two championship rings, he wouldn’t mind the individual recognition.

"Hopefully I can finish the season out and get that Sixth Man Award," said Odom.  "I would like to do it [for the fans], for my family and people that I’ve been around all my life and watched my journey.  This is for them, not just myself."

Is he motivated by some of his early, personal struggles with the L.A. Clippers?

"The past is the past," said Odom.  "I’m talking about more the people that just watch me and root for me.  My friends and my family and the people that love to watch me play basketball.  The NBA has been a blessing – not just for me.  My son is nine-years old and he loves to watch me play.  It trickles all the way down to my neighborhood.  I would love to do it for just them."

Theo Ratliff made his return Tuesday after a lengthy period recovering from knee surgery.  The veteran big has played in just nine games for the Lakers this season.

Kaman Doesn’t Feel Vindicated

Meanwhile, jumping back to last week’s fracas and ejection, the L.A. Lakers and Clippers met for the final time this season this past Friday with the Lakers winning 112-104.

With about 30 seconds left in the game, Chris Kaman was setting a screen and Derek Fisher made contact.  Kaman reacted demonstratively and was tossed from the game, yelling at Fisher as he left the court.

"That’s a part of what we do.  If big guys are coming to set screens on little guys and not expect any contact whenever we get tangled up or in each other faces, that’s not realistic," said Fisher after the game.  "This is a competition.  As much as you’re trying to tear my head off, I’m trying to tear your head off."

The league would eventually side with Kaman, upgrading Fisher’s foul to a flagrant level two (without suspension).

Chris refused to talk to the media after the game.

"Usually what happens in plays like that when someone gets excited or gets upset or still mad and they say something they shouldn’t say and they get themselves in trouble and I didn’t want to mess with it," said Kaman a few days later.  "It’s just easier not to say anything."

Even though Fisher did get the flagrant, Chris was still bothered by the play.

"I saw that but I didn’t feel vindicated," said Kaman, "Guys have gotten much worse, for less."

So should Derek have been suspended?{AUTHOR_BOX}

"I don’t want to say that but you’re asking me too much," said Chris who tried to use restraint.  "I better keep my mouth quiet, because my mouth has gotten me in trouble in the past."

"I know he did it on purpose and that’s what made me mad," said Chris.

Bledsoe on His Wildcats

The Kentucky Wildcats will take on Kemba Walker and the University of Connecticut on Saturday for an opportunity at Monday’s NCAA title game.

It’s interesting to see the Wildcats advance further than last year’s squad (who got to the Elite Eight) despite a roster full of future NBA players (John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton and L.A. Clippers guard Eric Bledsoe).

"Every player that comes into college wants to make it to the next level and [Coach John Calipari] does a nice job getting guys to the next level," said Bledsoe.  "They have a great, great staff to do recruiting and everybody wants to play for them.  That’s why they always get the top guys every year."

Bledsoe remains an ardent supporter of Kentucky basketball.

"I watch every game, I try to," said Eric.

Bledsoe’s take on this weekend’s game is interrupted by teammate Jamario Moon.

"I think it’s going to be a tough, competitive game with a whole lot of energy," said Bledsoe.

"It really don’t matter who wins that game, both of them won’t win the championship," said Moon.  "Butler is saying ‘We went last year and we was robbed.  We’re going to do the robbing this year.’"

"You know that there’s always a close game with [Butler]," answered Eric.

"I don’t care, that’s all it takes is a close game," said Jamario.

"They’ve gotta try to make a shot at the buzzer," warned Bledsoe.

"It don’t have to be a blowout to win," said Moon.

"So you know what that means?" asked Eric.

"It means they’re going to keep making it," said Jamario.

"No it don’t.  It’s going to cost them the season at one point," said Eric.

So there’s your game analysis via two Clippers.

One specific reason why Bledsoe thinks the Wildcats will take it?

"Jorts," replied Bledsoe.  "Josh Harrelson.  They call him Jorts."