Kobe Finds Motivation, Humor in New Movie

The folks at Paramount Studios have done us all a favor.

Next week they will release the romantic comedy “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” nationwide, and while it only took the daughter a Super Bowl weekend to do that, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are two die-hard basketball fans who have a date at the NBA Finals.

I stopped by the Lakers’ locker room before Saturday night’s game and told Kobe Bryant to make sure he sees the film, because it has the Sacramento Kings playing in the finals. “They got that right,” I said.

I did not mention the movie has Sacramento playing the New York Knicks in the finals because the purpose of our little chat was not to make him laugh at something so far-fetched but to give him more motivation to prove everyone wrong.

He took the bait, of course, because he’s always looking for another mountain to climb, and when I added something like “you guys were lucky to win last year with Robert Horry hitting that shot,” Kobe took the ball he had in his hands, and snapped it against the wall.

(Now I’d never say something like that to Devean George while he had a ball in his hands, because if he tried to snap it against the wall, he’d miss and who knows what he’d hit.)

“I’ve heard about that movie,” Kobe said, and when you get married, it’s for better sometimes but also worse for sure if you don’t agree to go to an occasional chick flick. “Sacramento in the finals? They’re going to have to rewrite that script.”

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THE FOLKS in Sacramento made the Paramount mistake of motivating Kobe the other night. A Sacramento Bee reporter wrote a story, which most newspapers would’ve refused to print because of the shabby journalism employed, suggesting -- without attribution -- that Kobe might have been drunk in the playoffs last year and not sick from food poisoning.

“I was ticked,” he said, “but I didn’t give it much thought until I walked into the arena and saw people holding up signs that read ‘Kobe has an alcohol problem.’ That’s when I said to myself, ‘OK, I’m going to give you folks a problem.’ ”

Bryant scored 38 points, the Lakers whipped the Kings, and at age 24 consider the entertainment still left to be delivered.

More than that, consider what he has had to overcome the last few years, including this season’s sniping from Coach Phil Jackson’s buddy, Charley Rosen, who labeled Kobe selfish and uncoachable, and then suggested in his Internet columns that he be traded -- the implication this was all coming from Jackson.

“Sure, I get ticked at stuff, but the thing to do is stay calm,” Kobe said. “Just stay calm.”

The Lakers have no chance of winning another title, or so I told him, and he said, “I love it, I love the challenge.”

I reminded him to stay calm, but that poor wall took another beating, and I felt badly for the Utah Jazz, knowing how he was going to be taking it out on them in a few minutes.

“You think anyone is going to want to see us in the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed?” he said. “We get into the playoffs and start dissecting an opponent -- that’s when we’re at our best. I have no doubt we are going to be all right.”

I disagreed, because I’m here to help.

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NOW THERE is no question I’m prejudiced when it comes to Kobe, because I think watching him perform is one of the sports’ joys living here, but I also believe an argument can be made he has had a better season than anyone else in the NBA.

He won’t be selected MVP, though, because the national media will penalize him for the team’s 3-9 start when he had the chance to carry the team without Shaquille O’Neal, and because the Lakers won’t finish as one of the top teams in the West.

“When I hear people talking about who is the best player in the game, I think it’s funny,” he said. “There are a lot of great players, and it’s something that is always going to be arguable.”

But then, with a wink, he told me there is no doubt in his mind who is the best player in the game, and I nodded, and mentioned Tracy McGrady’s name.

(Someone has to keep pushing him.)

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THAT’S WHEN I bumped into George, and when I had come to Staples Center on Saturday night it was with the plan of writing how good Kobe has been or how bad George has been this season. I flipped a coin, and George won. I spent most of my time with Kobe, who finished with 42 points; he has averaged 40 points in the last three games.

When I saw George, however, I could not contain myself, and said, “Play well, because I’m ready to pounce on you.” (Not exactly Knute Rockne, but I was dealing with Rudy here.)

“Go ahead and write anything you want,” George said, and that’s exactly what Kevin Brown said, so OK.

George is being paid $4.5 million this season, and has responded by playing like a stiff. He’s making 37% of his shots, 10th best on the team. He’s the fourth-highest paid player, making more than Derek Fisher, more than Rick Fox, and before the Utah game he had a crowd of reporters around him because he scored 10 points the night before, making it a news story.

Kobe playing well and pushing the Lakers into the playoffs is a given. George playing well and making a significant contribution would be shocking. It might take that, however, to prove the moviemakers had it wrong.

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TODAY’S LAST word comes in e-mail from Mary Stearns:

“Why would you call a thoroughbred horse a pig? This certainly defames the glorious animals we love to watch run. I think an apology is in order.”

I’m sorry, but that donkey cost me money.

T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com.