This one is as bad as it gets

Thursday should have been Friday the 13th.

Cathleen Cole

Woodland Hills

Dear Lakers,

Thanks to your biggest choke in NBA Finals history, it has taken all the attention from the horrible officiating.

Sincerely, David Stern

Wayne Busick

Studio City

The lights are out, and the doors are closing.

Feel the stench of that cigar.

Go, most vulnerable, play with your children. Your wife has a lovely ring.

Go, Spaniard, sip some sweet wine. No one will hurt you.

Go, Clipper, puff your cares away. No more whistles to stop your rest.

The machine is not running. Throw off the hairbands, let your locks flow freely.

Zen Master, meditate deeply, nine times, and take the pain away from Buckner, Norman, and the others. You have vanquished them. You are the stat. No balloons for you.

The Jell-O has jiggled.

Sal Lavina

Los Angeles

Memo to Lamar Odom: There are four quarters in an NBA game.

Peter Rich

Los Angeles

Did the Zen Master think he could mail it in for his 10th ring? Plain and simple, Phil, you’ve been out-coached by someone who wants it more.

Pete Russo

San Clemente

The L.A. Rams had the “Fearsome Foursome” and the Lakers now have the “Fearful Foursome.” That would be any four Lakers on the floor with Kobe Bryant late in the game acting like the ball is a hot potato.

Hugh K. Malay

Beverlywood

Of course the Lakers squandered a 24-point lead. They’re all exhausted from 100 games of pretending to like Kobe.

Mark Backstrom

Redondo Beach

As for Curt Schilling’s rants against Kobe and the Lakers: Tell him to please put a sock in it.

John Debay

Chino Hills

I don’t know why Bill Plaschke acts so surprised at some Boston fans’ not-so-kind reaction when he calls Paul Pierce a faker and an actor. Boston fans have long memories and recall Plaschke comparing Tom Brady (the one with three championship rings) with Alex Rodriguez (the one with zero rings).

Another surprise of these Finals besides the Lakers being outplayed by the Celtics is that Plaschke is being outwritten by T.J. Simers.

Billy Sottile

Palmdale

Dear Lakers:

Here is some sage advice from Clint Eastwood’s character, the Outlaw Josey Wales, you may wish to consider for Sunday and beyond:

“Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you’re not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. ‘Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That’s just the way it is.”

John Dillon

Topanga