"It was an odd time for a players-only meeting -- minutes after a blowout victory over Portland -- but the Los Angeles Lakers felt they needed to clear the air. So according to sources, team leaders Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher gathered everyone together in the Lakers' locker room Monday night and tried to set the tone for the second half of the season.

Their message was clear: Trade rumors don't matter; your feelings about management or the coaching staff don't matter; all that matters is that the 14 guys in that locker room support and believe in one another. If they stay together and stay on the same page, they can get to where they want to go as a team.

Since the Lakers' impressive 103-92 win over the Blazers took place before the meeting, it's hard to tell what effect the talk will have. But the Lakers seem to believe the meeting was productive and that the club is making progress."