The cheesy 1980s song “I Love L.A.” showered upon the grinning crowd exiting the Staples Center — the guys hoarse from screaming “MVP! MVP!”; the women wearing yellow No. 24 jerseys and designer jeans; Jack, satisfied with another win by the home team, this time a blowout against the Nuggets.
“Everybody’s very happy,
Cause the sun’s shining all the time
Looks like another perfect day
I love L.A.”
And in the locker room last Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers gushed about their legendary coach, Phil Jackson, who had agreed to a two-year contract extension earlier in the day.
Kobe Bryant took off his No. 24 jersey and put on a dapper gray suit and a shiny purple tie, Lakers purple, and spoke about his coach’s dedication to the franchise.
“We’re moving in the right direction,” Bryant said. “The important thing for us is to stay focused on the present.”
The present is La-La Land. When the Lakers win, everything is sunny. Entering tonight’s game against Denver, the overachieving Lakers are 10-8 despite a roster speckled with youth. But Bryant, a perennial MVP candidate, has not publicly changed his stance from this past summer. He wants out.
After an early playoff ouster last season, Bryant went public with his dissatisfaction concerning Lakers management and the future of the franchise.
“The message has been sent,” said Doug Collins, an NBA coach for eight seasons and now a TNT analyst. “Normally when you win, it sort of smoothes over a lot of things. But the Lakers know they’re going to have bumps in the road. I just don’t think that you can trade Kobe Bryant.”
In the first week of the season, it appeared the Lakers would do just that when rumors heated up of a possible deal with Chicago, a big-market, big-money team with an abundance of trade bait. Nothing happened, and with the Lakers likely to again grab one of the last playoff spots in the West, it’s unlikely Bryant will be moved during the season.
Bryant is reportedly the only player in the league with a no-trade clause — thus he can veto any move he doesn’t endorse. He also can terminate his current contract after the 2008-09 season.
And so, the elephant in the Lakers’ locker room weighs 205 pounds, standing 6-feet-6, with a killer jumper.
“Play to win, regardless”
Nuggets coach George Karl calls them de-energizers.
Sometimes, it’s a thorny contract negotiation. Other times it’s a player squabbling about playing time. And, of course, it can be dissatisfaction fueling a trade demand. They all sap energy from focusing on playing basketball.
When they happen, it’s up to the coach to energize his team, keeping distractions at a minimum.
“Every day,” Karl said, “a part of our coaching meeting is psychology — who’s down, who’s up, who needs a hug, who needs to be kicked. It’s a daily process of managing a player’s confidence and ego.”
In Los Angeles, Jackson said he has developed a relationship with Bryant “that has been at a very good level,” two years after the coach released a book where he had scathing things to say about a younger Bryant. Jackson’s recent decision to stay with the Lakers, hardly championship contenders, showed the players that their coach believes in their development.
The day before they blew out Denver, Jackson held a rousing meeting with his players, according to guard Jordan Farmar. During the meeting, Jackson was blunt with his words, which “touched everyone’s manhood and professionalism.”
The next night the Lakers buried the Nuggets.
And Bryant, quite simply, is playing like he’s left all his problems in his locker. He entered Tuesday second in the NBA with 27.6 points per game. He leads the Lakers in assists (84) and steals (30) and is second in rebounds (104).
“I’ve known Kobe through the years,” Collins said, “and I’ve known him to be one of the best competitors — if not the best competitor — in the NBA. I knew once the games started, he was going to play to win, regardless of what was happening.”
Extraordinary to ordinary
In July 2004, after the Lakers shipped center Shaquille O’Neal to Miami, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke wrote about the big move that effectively ended L.A.’s dynasty.
The headline screamed — “It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Stupidity.”
Wrote Plaschke: “In five years, when your children wonder how a great franchise became ordinary, the story starts here.”
O’Neal and Bryant teamed to win three titles. This is the fourth season since O’Neal’s departure, and the Lakers have made the playoffs twice in the past three seasons, losing in the first round both times.
Some critics blame Bryant for not making his teammates better. Others blame the Lakers’ front office for not giving Bryant more help.
Whatever the case, the current Lakers are another work-in-progress team, little more.
The starting lineup features role players Vladimir Radmanovic and Derek Fisher. And Lamar Odom is their second-best player but averages just 13.1 points.
There is, unquestionably, some intriguing young talent. Center Andrew Bynum, 20, entered play Tuesday averaging a double-double — 10.9 points and 10.1 rebounds in just 25.9 minutes. And Farmar, 21, is a jolt off the bench for the backcourt.
“I think what (Jackson) wants to do is teach these young kids how to be champions,” Collins said, “and hopefully leave his mark.”
But will Bryant be on the Lakers when — or if — the Lakers become champions again?
LOS ANGELES LAKERS AT DENVER
7 p.m. tonight, ALT, ESPN, KKFN 950 AM
Spotlight on Lamar Odom: The 6-foot-10 forward is the Lakers’ No. 2 scorer, averaging just 13.1 points per game. He told reporters last week he must score more for the Lakers to succeed. He is second on the team in rebounding (7.6).
NOTEBOOK
Nuggets: Power forward Nene had the cast on his left thumb removed and a splint applied. He will begin range of motion and strengthening exercises next week. Coach George Karl said Nene will be able to practice in two weeks. Guard J.R. Smith leads the Nuggets with 33 3-pointers made (17th-most in the NBA), though he missed all four attempts against Miami on Sunday. Smith is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range.
Lakers: In the Lakers’ win against Denver last Thursday in Los Angeles, their bench scored 63 points, while Denver’s scored 37. … Karl said the Lakers’ Sasha Vujacic overreacted in the previous game when Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony pushed Vujacic near his throat. “I’m a huge believer that flopping is out of control (in the NBA),” said Karl, whose star player was ejected from that game after the incident. “If I were the league office, I would have fined Sasha.”
Benjamin Hochman: 303-954-1294 or bhochman@denverpost.com
