Kevin Ding of the Orange County register reports that the trash talking has already begun between the Lakers and the Kings. Since both teams are expected to repeat their success and with another seven months to wait until the Western Conference Finals, there will be much mud-slinging to come.

"We are the favorites," Kings guard Mike Bibby said. "You have to have confidence in your abilities. But I don't think anyone else really believes we are." Bibby has been the one providing almost all the headlines up north. Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof did say that the Kings were better than the Lakers last season and should be "one of the greatest teams ever" this season.

Bibby has been hitting the weights in the offseason and has talked of a 70-win season. He also wants to use this season to put an asterisk next to the Lakers last championship because of the way the officials botched Game 6 of the Conference Finals.

"I like to have fun, talk (expletive), and I get excited and then have fun," Bibby told The Sacramento Bee. "I know how to say something to bother people. The Lakers have been talking so much (expletive). We can't have people talking that much about us and not say anything."

The Lakers have done their share of talking as well:

"They've got a lot of talkers," Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal said of the Kings. "You always talk the talk, but can you walk the walk? They had us right where they wanted us. But in Game 7, Doug (Christie) couldn't hit any shots, Chris (Webber) didn't want to shoot, Vlade (Divac) fouled out on purpose, Scot Pollard can't play anyway."

O'Neal also said of the Kings: "The older they get, the wearier they get. "They have the type of guys that the older they get, their skills deteriorate," O'Neal said. "We have guys, the older we get, the better we get - me being one, Kobe (Bryant) being one."

In spite of Bibby's bold talk, it seems the Kings understand that they remain in a lesser class than the Lakers, at least until they can try again next spring. "If you have the belt, you're the favorite," Webber said. "You can't decision the champ, you have to knock him out."

So, until they meet again, everyone waits.