A champion is not supposed to go down like this.  And if, in fact, the Los Angeles Lakers are down they do not seem to be too worried about their situation.

The word 'excite' is one of the last which would come into my mind if I was a vital piece to the three time defending champion puzzle that has started this season with a 13-19 record that includes a win over the lowly Denver Nuggets last night and that looks better than it did earlier in the season pre-Shaq.

But excite is the word chosen by Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who's 38 point haul along with a strong game by the freshly-married Shaquille O'Neal last night was needed to dig out victory on the road.  According to Bryant this situation is different from the norm, but it is still exciting and the Lakers have a favorible schedule ahead next month.

"The feeling I sense from us right now is that we understand we're faced with a big challenge, and we at a point it's starting to excite us. We are tired of going out there and doing the same old same old. We have a good month in January; the schedule is favorable; we will be able to get some rest, and we will have to respond to that. It's going to take a little bit of luck and a little bit of hard work. We need them both."