Lakers Not a Challenge? Go Ask Phil

Please! I’m guessing every newspaper across the country has a reason why Michael Jordan should be rolling into town to help their local franchise win the 2002 NBA championship (except Vancouver). What Tim Brown [“Smoggy Air,” March 15] fails to realize is that Jordan not only wants a championship, he wants a challenge. As soon as everyone tells him that he couldn’t possibly win a championship with the Wizards, that’s exactly what he is going to do.

The Lakers would be too easy, especially if they get it together this year. Plus, Jordan would also get to rub it in to Krause and Reinsdorf four times a year instead of twice, because I don’t see an L.A.-Chicago finals any time soon.

AEMON FOWLER, Huntington Beach

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It hurts to say this and I will probably hate myself in the morning, but I totally agree with T.J. Simers’ assessment of the Kobe/Lakers situation.

The Lakers are about as interesting without Kobe as a documentary on the flight pattern of the dodo bird, which may incidentally shed some light on where Phil Jackson’s head is these days. The more Kobe shoots, the fewer bricks we see from the Laker minimums that old Philip swears by.

Do I care if the Lakers have four players in double figures? No! I care that I got at least half of my money’s worth by watching the greatest basketball player today do his thing. And you know what, Phil, you just might win a few games in the process.

TERRI SHAW, Westwood

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Is there any truth to the rumor that the Portland Trail Blazers will sign Troy Aikman to keep him away from the Lakers?

MIKE SCHERMERHORN, North Hills

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I don’t think I’m wrong here, but it seems that you guys reserve the front page for Laker news, and too often ignore the Clippers. The Clippers may be L.A.’s “other” NBA team, but they still belong to this city.

Where’s the love?

MARK MATSUNO

La Crescenta

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If you check the NBA box scores, it’s easy to see how one becomes a scoring leader. Last week, for instance, Jerry Stackhouse scored 36 points on 11-for-30 shooting. Tracy McGrady scored 37, going 12 for 28. Allen Iverson racked up 38, while making 12 of 32 shots, while our own scoring machine, Kobe Bryant, managed to raise his scoring average while missing 23 of 34 shots.

While everyone is aware that Shaq can’t make shots from the foul line, nobody seems to notice that a lot of the top scorers can’t shoot from anywhere.

BURT PRELUTSKY, North Hills