Kobe Bryant has a solid shot at winning the MVP title again, but ...

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times. Readers’ questions about the Lakers will be answered every week. Question: Is it too soon to begin the “Kobe for MVP No. 2” campaign? Are you hearing any buzz yet that he’s in the conversation for winning his second trophy?

-- Glenn D. Brown, Los Angeles

Answer: In Canada, they make a big deal when NHL teams have played one-fourth of their season, trotting out all sorts of in-depth hockey analysis when teams pass the “quarter pole,” as they say.

The Lakers are only four-fifths to the quarter pole, but let’s not allow that to stop us! Without further ado, here are the first-ever “Four-Fifths Quarter Pole MVP Candidates.”

Bryant absolutely gets mentioned here. The Lakers are on a roll, and Bryant has been a huge part of it. He’ll be getting plenty of votes in April. (And let’s not start putting Pau Gasol in the MVP race. He’s an extremely versatile player and deserving of another All-Star appearance despite the hamstring that wouldn’t seem to heal, but he has benefited more from Bryant than Bryant from him. Anybody remember those lean years in Memphis, when Gasol’s teams went 0-12 in the playoffs? Didn’t think so.)

Denver forward Carmelo Anthony has moved from being just a scorer to being the league’s top scorer, with all-around stats to go with it. He’s definitely in the race for his first MVP.

We can’t go any further without mentioning Cleveland forward LeBron James, whose numbers are as good as ever, but whose team is only now straightening out (13-5) after a strange 3-3 start. Maybe they’ll be better at the half pole. (Is there even such a thing? I’ll call a Canadian friend and find out.)

After James, the Eastern Conference gets a little weird. Boston and Orlando are such deep teams that none of their players are in the top 20 in scoring. I guess I’d go with Paul Pierce in Boston, who is 22nd in scoring, but Dwight Howard’s numbers are down a bit in Orlando. Still too early to pick candidates from them, but someone will emerge over the next few months.

Phoenix guard Steve Nash has already won the MVP award twice, but the Suns are surprisingly strong in the West and the 35-year-old Nash looks like he’s 25 in the freshly reinstalled Sun-and-gun offense.

Two final candidates: Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki shows no sign of slowing down for a 14-5 team that is exceeding expectations, and Atlanta forward Josh Smith has gone from fantasy basketball stud to fantasy basketball stud on a really good team.

That’s a long list. I’m quarter-poled out.

Q: About Ron Artest: Seriously guys, all due respect, who cares?

-- Mark Garralda

A: Short and sweet. And I kind of agree with you.

People are saying Artest’s revelation that he was a locker-room cognac drinker earlier in his career will cause a ripple effect in the Lakers’ locker room. Someone even used the word “fallout” at practice the other day.

First off, it’s definitely a story that Artest consumed alcohol during games. I mean, think about that. What would happen if you drank at your desk halfway through your work day? Bad idea.

Here’s a worse idea. What if you ran three miles during your lunch break, downed some cognac, then ran another three miles. That’s essentially what Artest did. I’m getting sick just typing that out.

Bad move on Artest’s part. And too bad he didn’t seek help at the time.

But back to the present day. Artest’s in-game drinking happened, like, eight years ago. Not last month. Not a few days ago against New Orleans. We were barely out of the 1990s when it happened.

So will it affect the Lakers? No. End of story.

Q: Artest. A breath of fresh air. Do you realize you/he is in the business of entertainment? I suggest you write a story of how this Laker “7” is the most “appendexterous” team member of all time -- think about it.

-- Bikram, Hawaii

A: My goodness. What in the name of macadamia nuts is going on in Hawaii?

Is this haiku? Appendexterous? What do I even say? Where do you even start with this one?

I think I’ll just end there. See ya next time.

mike.bresnahan@latimes.com

broderick.turner@latimes.com

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