Editor's Note: April Fools

They got me. They really got me. With losses to Charlotte and Atlanta, the Lakers really pulled a fast one on me. They decided to enter April Fools by pranking everyone. How else can you explain the most humiliating losses the Lakers have had? They almost are certain to fall short of getting the best record in the NBA, and the bench hasn't looked worse. It must be a joke. They scored less than 100 points in consecutive games for the first time this season. They are shooting 66-for-177 in their last two games, translating into a .373 shooting percentage. It's all just one big fool. The bench has been dismal, scoring just 25 points in the last two losses. Kobe Bryant alone is shooting 18-for-47. It has to be a prank. The Lakers will stop fooling around by tomorrow at least. They'll stop with the jokes and tricks and revert to their championship form. They have to. And by tomorrow's end April Fools Day will be over. Then the Lakers will grin from ear to ear, laughing at the fact that the fans really believed they were on a downward spiral. After all, April Fools Day is almost over. Almost.