How similar are the ends of Kobe Bryant’s and Michael Jordan’s careers?

With the Lakers sputtering badly in an 0-5 start, it had to come up.

Did Kobe Bryant sense any parallels between the twilight of his career and the end of Michael Jordan’s?

The Washington Wizards were 37-45 and 37-45 in Jordan’s last two seasons, failing to make playoffs either time. He retired in 2003 after averaging 20 points that season. He was 40.

Bryant, 36, laughed at the question Thursday and initially said there were no similarities. Then he wavered.

“Well, maybe. I guess,” he said.

How so?

“He wasn’t in Chicago, playing for the same organization for all those years. It’s a little different. I’m still younger than he was,” Bryant said. “I can see where you guys are thinking there’s similarities there. I also think it’s probably reachable content at this point. I get it. So, yeah, there’s similarities.”

The Lakers are off to their worst start since 1957 and their average margin of loss is 14.8 points.

Bryant has shouldered almost all of the offensive load, taking 37 shots and scoring 39 points in a 112-106 loss Tuesday to Phoenix.

Lakers Coach Byron Scott expressed hope that Bryant’s teammates would stop standing around, hoping Bryant would carry them to victory.

Bryant also seemed to express it too.

“I think we’ll use a lot of Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin to create opportunities, which means running through them a lot and moving me off the ball, getting picks off the ball, as opposed to me initiating the offense and then controlling everything from there,” Bryant said. “I think it has to be Jeremy and Boozer and guys making plays ... it keeps them involved.”

Boozer and Lin are enduring slow starts in their first season with the Lakers. Lin is averaging 10.8 points on 37.8% shooting while Boozer is averaging 10.4 points on 44% shooting.

Bryant is averaging 27.6 points and shooting 40.2%, more than 5% below his career average.

The Lakers’ next game is Sunday against Charlotte at Staples Center. After that they play at Memphis, at New Orleans, home against San Antonio and home against Golden State.

The Lakers’ worst start ever was 0-7, also in 1957.

Follow Mike Bresnahan on Twitter @Mike_Bresnahan