<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">ANAHEIM, Calif. - There are some new players in Laker uniforms, notably Kwame Brown and Aaron McKie. There are some of the same faces, too, like Kobe Bryant - the Lakers' leading scorer in five of their six preseason games. The most noticeable development that the Jazz will notice tonight, however, is both old and new: The Zen master is back. Phil Jackson, who thwarted Utah's chances of an NBA title in 1997 and '98 while coaching the Bulls, has returned after a one-year sabbatical to the bench in Los Angeles where he won three championships with Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. And the Jazz expect to see an improved Lakers team tonight (8:30 p.m. MDT, no TV) at the Arrowhead Pond, simply because Jackson and his triangle offense are in the building. "Phil brings more spirit and a mental part of the game to the [Lakers]," said Utah forward Andrei Kirilenko. "He has won a lot of championships, and that means a lot to the guys." Jerry Sloan, whose 18 seasons in Utah demonstrate his commitment to stability, believes that's the quality that will help Jackson the most. Rudy Tomjanovich was hired to coach the Lakers a year ago, but lasted only until Feb. 2, when he stepped down because of health concerns. That left Frank Hamblen to direct a team that quickly plummeted from playoff contention, leaving the players to hear endless speculation about their future. Now, Sloan figures, "they are going to be a good team that won't have to worry about whether their head coach is going to be there or not." </div> Salt Lake Tribune <font size=""1"">Edit: Please don't post entire articles ~ Stockton</font>
