Kobe Bryant refused to touch a reporter’s question late Sunday night about Shaquille O’Neal’s critical comments about new Lakers center Dwight Howard, but at least he was pleasant about it. A smiling Bryant said simply: “My primary concern is the big fella here (Howard). I think he’s going to do just fine for his legacy with the Lakers.”

Of O’Neal, his former teammate and occasional nemesis, Bryant added, “He gets paid to make opinions. I can’t tell him to shut up. That’s his job. That’s what he does.”