A good attitude and the addition of Gasol bode well for a title shot.

By KEVIN DING – The Orange County Register

EL SEGUNDO – The Lakers know they’re going to be really good. You can see it in Kobe Bryant’s relaxation, Pau Gasol’s earnestness and Phil Jackson’s sparkling eye.

What is at issue is how fast that confidence can translate into a championship.

It could happen over the next four months, which is why Bryant and his coach agreed in a conversation Thursday after learning about torn ligaments in Bryant’s shooting hand that surgery wasn’t a viable option, even if it was doctor-recommended.

“It’s just too good an opportunity for us right now as a team,” Jackson said.

Everything that has happened over the past four months — except for injuries that have left Jackson joking about “a black cloud” over his second tenure with the Lakers — is more than anyone could have dreamed for an organization once in turmoil.

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