But in the throes of battle, none of that matters. When Dwight waltzes into Sleep Train Depot wearing that sad imitation of purple the Lakers call their team color, he won't be anything but a mark to the 17,317 screaming fans bellowing around him. When Steve Nash traipses through, he'll get the same treatment. And Kobe? Kobe knows. Kobe's been here. He knows.

The season can't get here soon enough. Beat L.A., brothers and sisters. Beat L.A.