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For the first time since 2007 to 2008 NBA betting season, there is reason for fans to be concerned with the Los Angeles Lakers. It was during that season, prior to acquiring Pau Gasol, that the Lakers had last lost four games in a row. Yesterday for the first time in four years, the Lakers dropped their fourth consecutive contest. Today, sports betting online enthusiasts couldn't be more concerned, as teams coached by Laker boss Phil Jackson that have lost four games in a row, have failed to reach the NBA title game.

On paper, all of the teams that the Lakers have lost to during their four game slide, are teams that they would otherwise have had an easy time defeating save for the Utah Jazz. Along with Utah, the Lakers lost to the Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets. During the first three losses, to Utah, Indiana and Memphis, one thing became abundantly clear, having Ron Artest on your team is only good for a season.

Ron Artest has played on several different teams in the last five years, as he puts himself above the rest of the team. Now when Artest first entered the NBA, he was billed as a go to guy that team's could build around. However, over the last couple of years, Artest has continuously done things to harm is teams playoff chances rather than help them. Every time you think Artest will accept the role as a grinder and bench player, he suddenly decides that he wants to be the guy he was when his career first started.

If the Lakers have any chance of proving the Phil Jackson theory wrong and actually making it back to the post season final in 2010/2011 they need to do one of two things. Firstly, the Lakers will always be Kobe Bryant's team and nobody else's as long as Bryant remains in the league. This leads us to our second point which is, Ron Artest needs to realize that if push comes to shove and he makes the Lakers decide between him and Kobe Bryant, Artest will be looking for a new home. Meaning to say, to return to the finals for the fourth year in a row, Artest has to accept his role or get out of LA.