By Willie Ellison

The first time the Los Angeles Lakers played in the Inland Empire in the brand new Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, they went on to become the NBA champions. Let’s see if their latest visit to the Inland Empire will bring them similar results.

After the game 6 loss to the Boston Celtics two years ago the Lakers vowed to make a defensive stand as they embarked on the new season. Inland Empire Laker fans got a chance to witness the new-look Lakers when they christened the new Citizens Business Bank Arena

The Lakers recently made a second trip east in as many years to put on a show for their fans who dwell in the Inland Empire. After getting past the Golden State Warriors 118-101 in a pre-season game, the Lakers improved their home away from home record at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario to 2-0. Now the fans are hoping the Lakers will go on to win another NBA title, because winning in the Inland Empire has to be a good omen. It worked for them last year.

After putting on an offensive exhibition in the Inland Empire, the Lakers went on to play in two more pre-season games, one in Anaheim at the Honda Center and the other in San Diego; both games were against conference rival the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers went 1-1 against the Nuggets in the final two pre-season games, but they look primed and ready to start the season. They closed out the pre-season with a record of 5-2.

After closing out a successful pre-season, the Los Angeles Lakers are ready to put their back-to-back plan in motion. They are heavily favored to repeat as NBA champions, and the addition of Ron Artest only improves their chances because he makes them tougher defensively. Not to mention that in case of Kobe’s absence Artest, Lamar Odom and Paul Gasol are fully capable of keeping the Lakers in playoff contention for a good part of the season. Nevertheless, the Lakers are starting the season off healthy, but if they want to repeat as NBA champions they need to stay healthy all season or least be healthy by next spring.

However, if tradition or superstition plays a role the Lakers are in good shape. Remember, they won their first NBA title in seven years after playing in the Citizen Business Bank Arena, so since they are following the same routine, it should yield the same results. That being said Laker fans should have nothing to worry about since they have already been blessed by the Inland Empire hopeful.

The Lakers received a warm Inland Empire welcome as they came on to the floor, but when their floor leader and captain Kobe Bryant entered the arena the crowd erupted and he received a standing ovation from the 10,450 Inland Empire Laker fans who sold out the arena.

The fans came to see a show, and the Lakers did not disappoint. The Lakers were without fan favorites Gasol and Luke Walton who were resting injuries, but Odom made his first Laker appearance of the season during their trip to the Inland Empire. From the opening tip the Lakers put on a show, displaying their offensive dominance by scoring at will. The starting five for the Lakers jumped out to an early 15-point lead, although the Warriors cut into the lead and made it a single digit; the Lakers were never in jeopardy of losing the game.

The defending NBA champions’ visit to the area only added to the local Laker buzz and their title defense run this because it makes fans feel like they are more a part of the experience.

The Lakers began their defense of the NBA title earlier this week against their conference rival and Staple Center Arena mates, the Los Angeles Clippers, you know, the other professional NBA team in Los Angeles. Before the opening tip, the Lakers held their ring ceremony where the players received their NBA championship rings, before going on to battle the new and improved Clippers to open the season. The results of the game were not available by press time.

The Clippers will open their season with their No.1 draft pick, Blake Griffin, sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury. Nevertheless, with veterans Barron Davis, Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby in the line-up and with a healthy Blake Griffin in six weeks, along with Al Thorton and the rest of the supporting cast the Clippers should be a playoff contender this season and not a cellar dweller like they have been in the past years. If the Clippers don’t make the playoffs or at least challenge to make the final playoff spot, the organization should look into new leadership in the coaching department.

After receiving their 2.85 carat 15-diamond championship ring, the Lakers moved past the pleasantries and got focused on the business at hand, which is to repeat as NBA champions so they can do this all over again next year.

All signs point to the Lakers repeating as NBA champions. The team is still the deepest in the league with the most potent bench in the league. Although teams made improvements in an attempt to keep up with the Lakers, most analysts feel they didn’t do enough to knock the Lakers off the top spot.

With everyone healthy the Lakers will come out of the west; the only question is which beast from the east is willing to step up.