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Obama Gives a Shout Out to 'Los Suns,' Coach Phil Jackson Not so Much

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The Phoenix Suns last night won their second game of the Western Conference semifinal series. The 110 to 102 win over the San Antonio Spurs only added to the attention the Arizona team has been receiving as of late. On Tuesday, it was announced that players would wear "Los Suns" jerseys in protest of the state's controversial immigration law for their Cinco de Mayo game.

The move even got the attention of President Barack Obama, who has come out against Arizona's law. "I know that a lot of you would rather be watching tonight's game—the Spurs against 'Los Suns' from Phoenix," he said in his Cinco de Mayo address.

But Lakers Coach Phil Jackson doesn't see it that way. "Am I crazy, or am I the only one that heard [the legislature] say ‘we just took the United States immigration law and adapted it to our state," he said. "I don't think teams should get involved in the political stuff. And I think this one's still kind of coming out to balance as to how it's going to be favorably looked upon by our public. If I heard it right the American people are really for stronger immigration laws, if I'm not mistaken. Where we stand as basketball teams, we should let that kind of play out and let the political end of that go where it's going to go."

With that said, don't expect the Lakers to any time soon join the Mayor and other locals in publicly frowning upon the Grand Canyon State.

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