Mike Bresnahan

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his designated "Lakers game of the week." The Lakers play tonight at San Antonio. I've felt embarrassed plenty of times in my life, most recently on Saturday night when I ran into this woman I really liked a few years ago, got excited when I saw her at a Manhattan Beach establishment, only to see she was all over some dude with bad breath and a Santa belly. Happens all the time to me. Six months ago, there was my humiliating fling with the San Antonio Spurs.

What should the Lakers feel optimistic about against Oklahoma City? Mike Bresnahan: The Lakers actually showed some fire in their double-overtime victory over OKC last month. Can't remember a Lakers crowd ever getting that into a regular-season game. The Lakers' defense really showed me something in Game 7 against Denver. Not sure where it was the whole series, but the Lakers will have to employ it the entire time against OKC. Ben Bolch: The Lakers' 7-footers give them an advantage, provided they show up. Of course, that didn't always happen in the first round.

How will the Lakers adapt to life without Metta World Peace? Check out the video above to hear Lakers beat writer Mike Bresnahan's take on the fallout from World Peace's seven-game suspension for elbowing Oklahoma City's James Harden, and what it means for the Lakers as they prepare for the playoffs. A lack of depth at small forward remains one of the Lakers biggest concerns heading into the postseason, with injuries and inexperience figuring to keep the Lakers limited at the position until World Peace returns.

SACRAMENTO - Kobe Bryant made a handful of half-court shots Thursday in a playful competition with teammates and assistant coach Chuck Person, but the Lakers star won't make so much as a layup against Sacramento. Lakers Coach Mike Brown said Bryant would sit out the team's final regular-season game and concede the NBA scoring title to Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant. Bryant needed 38 points to surpass Durant for what would have been his third scoring title. Durant averaged 28.0 points per game, a tick above Bryant's 27.9.

Staff writer Mike Bresnahan ties up some loose ends before Lakers playoff games. Q&A of the day Question: Why do you suppose Pau Gasol yells every time he takes a shot in traffic? I'm guessing he's trying to influence the refs to call a foul. It's gotten a bit annoying for me. Otherwise, I love the guy.

The Lakers have taken plenty of heat for their difficulty winning in Portland, but here's a streak their followers can enjoy. The Lakers have won 12 consecutive games against the Oklahoma City Thunder franchise. Plenty has been written about the Lakers' nine-game losing streak in Portland, which finally came to an end last month. But almost nothing has been written about their Thunder run, probably because it's split across two teams in two cities, the Lakers winning their last six games against Seattle and their first six after the SuperSonics moved to Oklahoma City.

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated game of the week. The Lakers play Thursday against Boston. This is getting ridiculous. And it's all my fault. I decided to end each "Take" by predicting the winner of my self-designated Lakers game of the week. Fine. Great. Laughably easy. Finish 18-5 or something like that. I started off 7-1, which makes sense. This is my sixth season covering the Lakers. I know their personnel fairly well.

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times. Readers' questions about the Lakers will be answered every Friday at latimes.com/sports Question: Center Andrew Bynum is at best a journeyman and could be used as trade bait to help the Lakers rid themselves of Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton in a package to bring in, say, Marc Gasol and Utah's great point guard, Deron Williams. Marc is big and plugs the center on defense as well as rebounds, and what needs to be said about Williams, he is without question in the top three [for point guards]

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated "Lakers game of the week." The Lakers play Miami tonight. With all due respect to the beautiful people in Miami, of which there are plenty -- and let me reiterate plenty -- I hate to be the one to break up the party. But put down your cosmopolitans for a few moments of South Beach sobriety. This might be the last time Dwyane Wade visits the Lakers while wearing a Miami Heat jersey.

Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated "Game of the week." The Lakers play tonight against Minnesota. First, an explanation. I know, I know. Lakers-Timberwolves is the game of the week? The opponents are pretty weak this week — Golden State on Monday, Sacramento on Tuesday and Minnesota tonight — so why choose the Timberwolves? The Kurt Rambis factor. Few people know the Lakers better than Rambis, who was hired by the Timberwolves last August after 10 seasons as a Lakers assistant.

How will the Lakers adapt to life without Metta World Peace? Check out the video above to hear Lakers beat writer Mike Bresnahan's take on the fallout from World Peace's seven-game suspension for elbowing Oklahoma City's James Harden, and what it means for the Lakers as they prepare for the playoffs. A lack of depth at small forward remains one of the Lakers biggest concerns heading into the postseason, with injuries and inexperience figuring to keep the Lakers limited at the position until World Peace returns.

Game stories -- The Times' Mike Bresnahan mentions Kobe Bryant worked out before the Lakers' 99-87 victory Wednesday over the Golden State Warriors. It included dozens of shots, full-speed running and jumping exercises, and he didn't feel pain in his sore left shin. Because of that, Bryant plans to play Friday against San Antonio so long as he doesn't feel any discomfort Thursday. -- The Orange County Register's Kevin Ding credits the Lakers for using their inside presence against the Warriors.

Good for you. But lousy for me as I sit here realizing what is happening: Bynum is becoming Kobe . Nooooooo!!!!!!! Bynum now has the ability to change games, swing them in the Lakers' favor and get away with being a jerk. Another year or two and he'll have folks, the ones he would ignore if asked to stop and talk, chanting "MVP, MVP. " I was right all along about Bynum, but now I feel I owe everyone an apology. I made the argument the Lakers were forward thinkers for taking a raw big guy in a game played by big guys.

Game stories -- The Times' Mike Bresnahan explains how Kobe Bryant overcame a poor shooting performance in the Lakers' 88-85 win Saturday over the New Orleans Hornets. -- The Orange County Register's Janis Carr explains how Bryant's game winner overshadowed the Lakers' ugly play against New Orleans. -- The Times Picayune's John Reid details how the Hornets nearly gave the Lakers a scare. -- The Daily News' Elliott Teaford highlights Bryant's game winner.

When: 6:30 Where: Staples Center. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 710; 1330. Records: Lakers 32-20; Warriors 20-30. Record vs. Warriors: 2-0. Update: The Warriors are on a 2-9 skid and lost last week to the Lakers, 104-101, in the "Bynum benching" game. Power forward David Lee is averaging 19.7 points and 9.6 rebounds for the Warriors. Up-and-coming guard Stephen Curry has played only 26 games this season because of persistent ankle problems.

Superstar Kobe Bryant spent four of the last six minutes of the Lakers' 102-96 loss to Memphis on Sunday sitting on the bench, a move that Times reporter Mike Bresnahan tells CineSport's Noah Coslov was "very surprising. " Bresnahan, who has covered the Lakers for eight years, says he cannot remember Bryant spending that much time on the bench during a competitive game. Bryant was taken out of the game with 5:45 to play and the Lakers down, 93-79. He remained on the bench with his left hand tucked under his chin while Coach Mike Brown left Metta World Peace on the floor.

Among the highlights of a conversation with L.A. Times NBA beat writer Mike Bresnahan about the Lakers' 97-94 victory Sunday over the Boston Celtics and what the front office might do before the trade deadline: Bresnahan has reported that the Lakers don't plan to trade Pau Gasolunless it is for a young guard. He reported in The Times Monday morning that the Lakers had declined dealing him to Boston for Rajon Rondo. Bresnahan believes Gasol will remain in a Laker uniform through the season.