It Won’t Be Easy for Lakers to Fix All This

With Raja Bell suspended for Thursday night’s playoff game against Phoenix, my 14-year-old son was looking forward to the Lakers’ wrapping up the series against the Suns and moving on to play the Clippers.

This presented an excellent opportunity to initiate a discussion with him about addiction. I explained to him that scoring leaders are like junkies.

When presented with an opportunity to get a big scoring fix on Thursday, it would be impossible for Kobe Bryant to resist.

I predicted that Kobe would take the team out of the ball-movement program put in place by Phil Jackson, which had led to an early 3-1 edge in the series, and drop 50 points on Phoenix in a Laker loss.

I suggested that this addictive behavior would be compounded [today] with the return of Bell to the lineup, that Kobe’s addiction to the “me against the world” mind-set would again render him powerless to play team ball and that the Lakers would also lose Game 7.

For my son’s sake, I’d really love to be wrong. Being right Thursday wasn’t any fun at all.

MARK ROBINSON

Los Angeles

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As I was leaving the Laker game Thursday night after the devastating loss to the Suns, I spotted a “Laker Fan” in the parking lot.

Before getting into his car, he was taking off the ever-popular Laker flag connected to his window and replacing it with a Clipper flag.

True story, and one that happens only in L.A.

RICHARD WHORTON

Valley Village

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Just when L.A. was starting to get over Kobe’s past problems in Colorado, the Kobe-Shaq mess, the Kobe-Phil mess, the Kobe-Shaq-Phil mess, now comes the Kwame Brown mess?

Meanwhile, across the hall, Elton Brand receives the sportsmanship award. Therein lies the difference between the white-collar Lakers and the blue-collar Clippers.

The last time the Clippers had a controversial player was when Lamar Odom was suspended for marijuana use. Who does he play for again?

MARK MATSUNO

Glendale

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Despite what everyone might think of Steve Nash as an MVP candidate, he showed a lot of class after Sunday’s amazing game.

A lot of other players would have griped about not getting foul calls, used being injured as an excuse, and tried to cast aspersions on the opposing team. Nash just tipped his hat to Kobe, made no excuses, and moved on. I wish more players in the NBA would follow his example.

JOSEPH BECK

Los Angeles

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I think I figured out why Kobe is changing his number to 24 next year. He’s going to ask the Lakers to retire No. 8.

JOHN DENT

Pacific Palisades