Winning Another Title Would Be Quite a Feat

The Lakers have toe-tally melted down. Four-peat? Four-get it. They have a toehold on mediocrity. They have a size-23 foot in the cellar door. With immediate postseason surgery, Shaquille would have been healed. Instead, he’s a heel.

Dave Drusin

Studio City

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Oh, glory be. Shaq’s return is imminent! We’ll hail your “resurrection,” no doubt, having forgotten your selfish decision to wait to the last possible moment to deal with your big toe (after all, the Lakers hardly pay you enough to warrant a sacrifice of a month or so of summer playtime).

Good job, Big Whatever. Your allegiance to the team may well have cost the season, not to mention your beloved fourth championship. Oh, and Shaq, don’t worry about the fans either. After all, it’s really all about Shaquille, isn’t it?

Sydney Cook

Orange

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As one who follows the NBA by reading papers from several different cities online, I want you to know that the Los Angeles Times ought to win an award for Least Critical Coverage of the Home Team. The latest case in point is The Times’ continued fawning over Kobe Bryant, who in the absence of Shaquille O’Neal has revealed himself for what he truly is: a selfish, flashy but ineffective player.

Joe Martin

Alameda

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T.J. Simers and other Kobe fans must be in shock after watching Kobe Bryant’s stock plummet these past few weeks. Bryant has been exposed as “the best player on a last-place team” type. He can’t carry a team the way an Allen Iverson can. It’s plain to see he has been overrated. He can blame his teammates, and they’re partly to blame. But the buck stops with the guy who makes all the money.

Mick Taylor

Los Angeles

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The Lakers are in the Western Conference. They can’t just make the playoffs like they could if they were in the East. So buy Samaki Walker a plane ticket and tell him to dress warmly, because Oakland can be a bit nippy during the holiday season.

It’s not too often that you see a top rebounder, defender and answer to a franchise’s power forward-backup center problem logging zero minutes a night on a poor team. Mitch Kupchak, your mission is clear: Liberate Danny Fortson from the Warriors and liberate us from Walker.

Adam Duker

Laguna Beach

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Do you think once Shaq comes back Phil will be a great coach again?

Joe DeLeon

Houston