How do I know? Because when you set a record for most career points in the All-Star Game, it means that, undoubtedly, you are nearing the end of your career.

John Stockton didn’t get better after his 10,142nd assist. Kareem wasn’t still improving when he scored his 31,420th point. And when Kobe scored in the third quarter of yesterday’s game and broke Jordan’s All-Star Game record, it marked another time when Laker fans need to be thankful for and reflect on what they’ve (we’ve) had.

Unfortunately, that also means that they (we) need to start being realistic about the near future. Kobe’s skills are declining, ownership is acting — well they actually aren’t acting like anything since they aren’t really doing anything — and, as I’ve told both Luke and Andy in our podcasts, the Lakers are a middling team that is the second-most relevant team in their city.

God, that hurts to say.

Smush Parker, anyone? Pig Miller?

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Kobe also got his nose broken by Dwayne Wade during the All Star Game. Did Wade and others think he was trying too hard or something? Are other players secretly mad at him for some reason? Did he do something bad to D-Wade during the Olympics or something? An All-Star Game broken nose certainly isn’t usual.

I don’t know what his Lakers or Western Conference teammates’ reactions were, but I do know that if Shaq were on the Lakers still, D-Wade would feel it the next time he went into the lane on the Diesel. I wonder if anyone on this year’s Lakers roster would have his back like Shaq would have…