Flare-ups, feuds, fines kick off Lakers' season

One fan held up a homemade sign that read 'Can't we all just get along.'
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant isn't apologizing publicly for his scathing comments about Shaquille O'Neal, and insists the two superstars are going to behave as teammates in order to help the Los Angeles Lakers win another NBA championship.
Coach Phil Jackson fined Bryant an undisclosed amount for criticizing O'Neal, and the team met for 20 minutes Tuesday to discuss the feud that has developed between the two players.
Workable solution
"We don't see this as insurmountable at all," Jackson said before the Lakers opened the season with a 109-83 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
"It's like a family feud," guard Gary Payton said. "You have it for an hour and it's over."
Bryant was not in uniform Tuesday night after he said he didn't think his surgically repaired knee was strong enough to withstand the rigors of a 48-minute game. The Lakers had expected him to play until hearing otherwise Monday on ESPN.
Bryant said he hopes to return Saturday night in Phoenix.
Bryant castigated O'Neal during a telephone interview with ESPN, calling him "childlike," "unprofessional," "selfish," "fat" and "jealous." He also accused the 7-footer of overstating the severity of his foot injury last season when he reported to training camp overweight.
Bryant's comments came a day after O'Neal said the Lakers were "my team," adding that Bryant needed to be more of a team player -- an observation based on two exhibition games.
Togetherness
"We're cool. We talked this morning. He said what he said, I said what I said. We put it behind us," Bryant said after the Lakers' victory. "Shaq and I are going to move on, be teammates and help this team to a fourth title."
Asked if he wanted to clarify his comments to ESPN, Bryant replied, "I don't have anything to clarify. I'm past it."
O'Neal did not speak with reporters Tuesday.
One member of the Lakers said Tuesday morning's meeting lasted about 20 minutes, with O'Neal and Bryant addressing the team but not each other. The only other player to speak was Karl Malone, the player said.
"What we tried to do was not to overkill the situation," guard Derek Fisher said. "We all know it's there, we're aware of it, it's not necessarily going to go away just today, so we addressed it."
At practice Monday, Jackson ordered the team not to discuss the dustup with reporters. He fined Bryant for defying that order by talking to ESPN later that day.
"We had an agreement, the agreement was broken," Jackson said. "We were really disappointed."
Gets ovation
Bryant appeared on the court with about 15 seconds left in the third quarter after icing his knee and doing weight work. He was greeted by a loud ovation from the sellout crowd at Staples Center. They chanted "Kobe! Kobe!" and he raised his right hand in acknowledgment.
One fan held up a homemade sign that read 'Can't we all just get along' with Bryant's and O'Neal's jersey numbers on it.
Bryant sat next to O'Neal on the bench. O'Neal appeared to talk to Bryant while covering his mouth with his hand. Bryant responded without looking at O'Neal.