<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Kobe Bryant loves challenges, so here's mine: Make the playoffs, or else he should be the one to go to Secaucus, N.J. "Secaucus?" Bryant said. "Where's that?" It's the home of the NBA Entertainment studios. It's the site of the draft lottery. He leaned back and laughed. "I hadn't even thought about that," he said. Here are some more things to ponder: Magic Johnson's Laker teams never missed the playoffs. Neither did Elgin Baylor's nor Jerry West's. Bryant wanted responsibility for the franchise, he got it and he should accept everything that comes with it. Every year a representative from each team in the lottery sits on a stage in Secaucus and waits to learn his team's draft position. Bryant is the face of these laKers, so he should show his at the lottery, if necessary. "I can't commit to that," Bryant said. He did say he'd consider it. Perhaps he can contemplate it while the Lakers travel 6,500 miles over the next nine days. If the Lakers (30-29) can't maintain at least a .500 record by the time they finish this six-game trip that begins tonight in Dallas they can forget the playoffs.</div> Source
