Magic Offers Kobe Advice

Magic Johnson has been on the trash-talk firing line. He knows what it’s like to be the superstar target of taunts and mind games.

Over the years he learned how to win that game within the game, and now he plans on sharing that knowledge with Kobe Bryant, who Tuesday night completed a two-game suspension for fighting. Bryant punched the Indiana Pacers’ Reggie Miller on Friday, the culmination of a running verbal battle.

“I am going to tell him, ‘You are the man everybody loves,’” said Johnson, who has a minority ownership stake in the Lakers. “I am going to tell him, ‘Everybody wants to be in your shoes. You’ve got to have thick skin.’

“I took plenty of verbal abuse. But when the game was over, I would just tell [opposing players], ‘Look at the scoreboard. Get in your Winnebago because you’re going on vacation.’ I would take it out on them by winning championships. It hurts them more if you don’t respond.”

Johnson said he is not concerned by Bryant’s recent behavior, which has included two punching incidents in as many weeks, the other involving teammate Samaki Walker. But Johnson said he will be if it continues.

“I’m concerned about the fighting and the technical fouls,” he said. “I don’t want to see him start to get quick whistles. Pretty soon, the refs will look at him differently.”

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Walker, who had hoped to back on the floor Tuesday night, is now shooting for Sunday’s game against the New York Knicks.

The power forward, who has missed nine games since hyperextending his elbow against the Portland Trail Blazers, did not accompany the Lakers to Utah for tonight’s game, staying behind to continue his rehabilitation.

“I have broken up some scar tissue in the last two days,” said Walker, who continues to have swelling and pain in the elbow joint. “But I am able to get range of motion and it looks good for me.”

TONIGHT

vs. Utah, 5 p.m.

Ch. 9, TNT

Site--Delta Center

Radio--KLAC (570)

Records--Lakers 42-17, Jazz 33-26

Record vs. Jazz--2-0

Update--The Lakers have already won in Salt Lake City. If they are victorious tonight, it would be the first time in 16 years they have won more than once in Salt Lake City in the same regular season.