For Lakers, It’s Now the Irregular Season

When the Lakers lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, it was the first time in the Phil Jackson era that the team had lost four in a row. I don’t think this was the “Quat-row” that everyone had in mind.

Tyler Hennauer

Huntington Beach

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The perfect Shaquille O’Neal season:

October: Miss the preseason due to recent toe surgery.

November: Lament the team’s performance while sitting on the bench in fashionable streetwear recovering from late-summer toe surgery.

December: Begin to talk self into shape while convalescing on bench.

January: Commence occasional limping; express mild disappointment that team has a 16-24 record in his absence.

February: Launch non-contact, non-stress toe manipulation therapy program.

March: Announce return from off-season surgery on March 30, just in time to play self into shape with 10 games remaining in season.

April: Miraculous Shaq-led season-ending winning streak allows Lakers to sneak into eighth and final playoff spot in Western Conference.

June: Championship!

Ray Richmond

West Hollywood

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Reading of another of Shaquille O’Neal’s hostile responses to comments about his weight leads me to suggest that he put a sock in it -- perhaps prohibiting him from putting in it one or more of the four club sandwiches he’s said to consume before games.

Shaq, news flash: It’s not attractive, healthy or athletically advantageous for you to weigh in the mid-300s. I’m little caring about your attractiveness, somewhat concerned about your health and more interested in your athletic performance. Reduce your weight to around 300. See if you don’t play better, harder and longer. See if you don’t play, at all.

Bill Hoffine

San Diego

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Chick would be so proud that Shaq waited until his summer cop job was finished before getting his operation.

Chick would be so proud of Mitch Kupchak for thinking the best players for Laker fans to enjoy are Samaki Walker, Devean George and Soumaila Samake.

Doug Ward

Grover Beach, Calif.

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I, for one, do not like reading about athletes and writers who use injuries as an excuse for nonperformance. Tim Brown’s write-up of the Lakers’ loss to the Washington Wizards seemed to do just that.

Maybe Devean George did have two achy ankles and maybe Robert Horry did have a sore left heel and sore right foot. As a fan, you don’t want to hear excuses from these high-paid professionals. George, Horry and Phil Jackson simply got out-thought and outmaneuvered by a well-designed play by the Wizards.

Rafael Vistan

Pasadena