Wizards Aren’t Magical to Lakers

It’s just another regular-season game, insist several of the Lakers.

Against just another team.

Led by just another player.

Right, and the Olympic men’s downhill is just another day on the slopes.

Trying to rebound from their last game, a loss at home to the last-place Chicago Bulls nearly a week ago, and trying to regroup after the All-Star break, the Lakers are trying to downplay the playoff-level hype surrounding tonight’s game at Staples Center against Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards.

Laker Coach Phil Jackson wouldn’t buy into speculation about how he would react to facing Air Jordan, upon whose wings Jackson and the Chicago Bulls soared to six NBA titles in the 1990s.

“I haven’t anticipated any kind of reaction,” Jackson said. “I’m just going into it as coaching a game.”

Jackson said he would “disinvolve” himself from making it into anything more.

“I anticipate that, before the game, we will see each other,” Jackson said, “and that will be it.... It will not be Michael versus Kobe.”

How can it not be? Jordan, the master and Kobe Bryant, the disciple, on the same court, one of the premier superstars of the 20th century having returned to test a superstar of the 21st century.

Whoa, whoa, said Bryant, cut the hyperbole.

“I don’t mean to kill your buzz,” he told reporters. “I know hype is part of the game, but it’s not an individual thing for me. This game to me just means the Lakers have got to beat the Wizards.

“I got to do what I got to do to get this team going.”

It might be different if Shaquille O’Neal was playing tonight. He is the only player capable of dominating the spotlight even when Jordan and Bryant are on the floor. But the closest O’Neal will get to the floor is a courtside seat. He’s on the injured list because of a chronic toe injury.

Jordan, at least, concedes this is not just another game.

“It’s kind of like the student going against the teacher,” said Jordan, referring to Jackson, “Although the teacher is not playing, he’s got a pretty good student [Bryant] there who can illustrate his teachings. I look forward to that.... There will be a lot of emotions in the game.... I am pretty sure we are both looking forward to the challenge.”

Philadelphia Mayor John Street called Bryant on Monday morning to apologize for the fans who booed Bryant in Sunday’s All-Star game at First Union Center.

“He told me,” said Bryant, a Philadelphia native, “those people don’t speak for Philadelphia.”

TONIGHT

vs. Washington, 7:30

Fox Sports Net

Site--Staples Center

Radio--KLAC (570)

Records--Lakers 33-13, Wizards 26-21

Record vs. Wizards--(2000-01) 2-0

Update--It has been a decade since the Lakers lost a home game to Washington. The last time it happened, the Great Western Forum was home to the Lakers, Chicago was home to Jordan and Bullets was the team name of the Washington franchise. The Wizards went into the All-Star break with a five-game winning streak. Jordan is averaging 25.1 points, 5.3 assists and 1.48 steals, all team highs. His total of 286 rebounds is second only to the 368 by Popeye Jones.