But the teams have a little history, too. The most notable example occurred in Game 5 of a first-round playoff matchup between the teams in 2006, when Phoenix’s Raja Bell clotheslined Kobe Bryant, knocking him to the floor. Bell said that Bryant was elbowing him, and added at the time: “My problem with Kobe isn’t that he doesn’t respect me. I felt he was disrespecting me, and that he didn’t care that he was doing it. I don’t need respect, but you’re not going to disrespect me.”

Respect. Disrespect. It’s a vicious circle. Suffice to say that the two clubs really don’t like each other. Bell and Bryant are not quite as antagonistic toward each other recently as they were back then. But the Suns have eliminated the Lakers in the first round for the past two years, and tensions only seem to increase when these clubs face off.

This is only the second meeting of the season between the teams, but the first since Kobe accepted his fate as a Laker, and now perhaps he even has begun to savor it. When the Suns and Lakers met the first time this season, the speculation was still white hot as to where Bryant would be traded. The future of the franchise was in question.

And at that time, there were still mild rumblings that Shawn Marion was on his way out of Phoenix, although the trade winds that blew in the preseason had pretty much calmed by then.

Now the teams are settled, yet expectations rage.

For the Suns, this is probably the year that they either perform or vacate the commode. If they fail to at least reach the NBA Finals, they likely will make significant changes in their core group. For the Lakers, they’re showing signs of contention, which may have raised the bar on their season, which may have consequently raised the anxiety level among the players and fans who will be disappointed if they don’t at least get to the second round.

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That makes this particular Christmas matchup so intriguing. There are many layers, many areas of conflict. Emotions can run high around the Christmas tree sometimes, especially if people don’t get what they want.

For D’Antoni and Jackson, only one can get the cool gadget. The other will have to settle for the brown tie.

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