Take Five: Lakers vs. Kings NBA preseason

Thursday, Oct. 27, 2005 | 6:55 a.m.

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Thomas & Mack Center

Tickets: $95, $35, $25 and $14. Available online at www.unlvtickets.com, by telephone at (702) 739-FANS, at the Thomas & Mack Center ticket office and at UNLV ticket outlets including the Galleria mall and Station and Fiesta casinos.

1. WHO DO YOU LOVE?

The Lakers and the Kings are rivals not only in the Pacific Division of the NBA's Western Conference, but also in the hearts and minds of pro basketball fans in Las Vegas. They are the teams most closely associated with Las Vegas -- L.A. for its geographic proximity, Sacramento because the Maloof family owns both the Kings and the Palms hotel. "Las Vegas is still very much a Laker city, but the Kings have a really good fan base here, too," Joe Maloof said.

2. CLOSING THE GAP

Five years ago when the Lakers and Kings met in a preseason game at the Thomas & Mack Center, about 75 percent of the crowd was cheering for L.A., Maloof said. A couple of years later, perhaps two-thirds of the crowd was backing the Lakers. Maloof would like to see the gap narrowed to a 50-50 split. "I think it keeps getting a little closer every year as far as the fans' ovations," Maloof said.

3. NEW LOOK

After years of stability, the Kings shook up their lineup this off-season, signing free agent Shareef Abdur-Rahim to start at power forward and acquiring shooting guard Bonzi Wells in a trade from the Memphis Grizzlies. They'll join center Brad Miller, forward Peja Stojakovic and point guard Mike Bibby as starters under eighth-year coach Rick Adelman. "It's a brand new look for us," Maloof said. "It remains to be seen how they jell, but we're very excited about this season."

4. L.A.'S STORY

Having lured coach Phil Jackson out of temporary retirement and having added former No. 1 draft pick Kwame Brown in a trade with the Washington Wizards, the Lakers are aiming to rebound from their 34-48 record last season and rejoin the NBA's elite. The big question is how Kobe Bryant, Jackson's old nemesis, will mesh with Brown and enigmatic guard Lamar Odom in L.A.'s triangle offense. Other key players are center Chris Mihm and forward Luke Walton.

5. NORTH AND SOUTH

The Kings are one of only three NBA teams to have won at least 50 games in each of the past five seasons, although they have repeatedly come up short in their efforts to reach the finals. A resurgence by the Lakers could serve to light a fire under Sacramento, Maloof said. "It's a natural, built-in rivalry -- Northern California against Southern California," Maloof said. "We want to see it get heated up again. We want to see the Lakers come back and do well -- just not as well as us."