Lakers Need to Make a Powerful Statement

How nice of the Lakers to handicap themselves at power forward in order to give the other Western Conference teams a shot at the title. With the West neck deep in power-forward talent, our Lakers show up with a “Buss” load of stiffs.

* Samaki Walker: How many blocked dunks or dropped passes can we stomach a game? Remember that he couldn’t get off the bench with San Antonio.

* Mark Madsen: Accept the fact he’s the mascot, give him a yellow jumpsuit and have him sing and dance at halftime; do not let him on the court. The guy’s worth four fouls, one rebound and one point a game!

* Soumaila Samake: Manute Bol can out-bench-press him. Given that he’s 150 pounds at best, he still got suspended for steroids?

* Slava Medvedenko: He led the team with 17 shots, during Shaq’s return game against Chicago. Hey, Slava, stop shooting and play defense for once!

* Finally the only man who bought himself a pass because of his clutch playoff performances, Robert Horry. Just remember that he admits taking regular-season games off.

Place an ad in The Times. There has to be something better.

Craig Kwasniewski

El Segundo

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With the Clippers not securing a full television contract, like many other viewers, I have switched over to a Spanish-speaking station for my Clipper telecasts. It has been a very positive experience in my efforts to learn Spanish. I have learned words for “turnover,” “another miss,” and “heartbreaking loss.”

At the rate I’m learning, I should be able to watch Laker games within a few days.

Todd Bennett

Los Angeles

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Is the Lakers’ new slogan “FOUR-get about it”?

Corinne Wakefield

Thousand Oaks