Culver City Observer -

Observer Editor Mitch Chortkoff covered the Lakers for over 6 decades. He was called "Dean of the Laker Writers" by many of his colleagues. Mitch passed away in July of 2018, but he had written a lot...

My friend, my coworker, my editor Mitch Chortkoff lost his battle with diabetes and related illnesses this week. He was 78. Mitch was a renowned sports writer in Los Angeles for 50 years. His knowledg...

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This column by sports editor Mitch Chortkoff appeared two years ago in the Observer and is being run again due to recent requests from readers) It was 1996 and I was in Honolulu c...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor What seemed very likely several weeks ago is now official. Jerry West is joining the Clippers. At 79, West still enjoys accurately evaluating players, a talent he's...

Draft Success Excites Lakers But Celtics Are Way Ahead Of Them By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor Several years ago the Lakers and Celtics were terrible. Those championship battles in their history...

As Clipper fans wonder what the team will do following its disappointing finish in the recently completed season the team took a step forward this week. The Clippers purchest a development league...

The Buss family feud has came to an end with Jeanie officially taking control of the Lakers and brother Jim resigning as co-trustee. Jim Buss’ seat on the Board has gone to younger sister Janie, an al...

Four straight terrible seasons, four years out of the playoffs, four years when I' ve been writing about the decline of one of the NBA' s greatest franchises. It seemed like it couldn' t get worse for...

I had covered the Lakers for several years before Mitch Kupchak came along. Kupchak told the media to call him Mitchell. ”That’s because Mitch Chortkoff was here first,” he said. “Mitch is taken,...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor I had covered the Lakers for several years before Mitch Kupchak came along. Kupchak told the media to call him Mitchell. "That's because Mitch Chortkoff was here...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor I’ve been around Magic Johnson through all the years since he came to the Lakers. He’s been fantastic as a basketball player and then a businessman. He fought HIV a l...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor Magic Johnson is returning to the Lakers as an advisor to top executive Jeanie Buss. The announcement was made on Thursday and Johnson's duties will include meeting...

It’s good to be a fan of an LA team so far in the 2016-’17 National Basketball Association season. The Clippers are 10-1 at this writing, the best record in the NBA. And they’ve been routing oppon...

In discussing NBA free agent possibilities with colleagues who cover teams in other cities I find a consensus. My colleagues agree with me that the Lakers are kidding themselves by believing they...

Kevin Durant played for the Seattle Sonics for a year and eight for the Oklahoma City Thunder for the last eight without winning a championship. He liked Oklahoma, he gave a million dollars to the...

Luke Walton called Steve Kerr last Friday afternoon. “I have good news and bad news,” the Golden State Warriors’ assistant coach told the head coach. “Start with the good news,” Kerr said. “The Lake...

Gregg Popovich has coached the San Antonio Spurs for 18 years and the Spurs have made the playoffs every year. RC Buford is the general manager. Buford and Popovich work extremely well together. They...

When I wrote Anatomy Of A Disaster four years ago I had no intention of repeating it the next season. But readers were so fed up with the Lakers’ demise they requested it. Then we had last season, 2...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor It was 1996 and I was in Honolulu covering the Lakers' training camp. It was an especially important one because General Manager Jerry West had made a spectacular...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor At the start of another Laker season General Manager Mitch Kupchak told the media last week this would be a season of laying a foundation. “Every season the Lakers h...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor A sports columnist usually takes a stand on issues. The hope is the column will be read and whether or not the readers agree with the point they’ll have something t...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor When I realized the deadline for this week’s paper was Wednesday and the NBA draft was Thursday I was quite disappointed. I wouldn’t be able to comment on the Lak...

(Editor’s Note: Three seasons ago, after the Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs in the first round a summary of their troubles was analyzed in part 1 of this series. I didn’t plan on a par...

(Editor's Note: Three seasons ago, after the Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs in the first round a summary of their troubles was analyzed in part 1 of this series. I didn't plan on a part 2...

By Mitch Chortkoff Sports Editor Kobe Bryant was outraged. Byron Scott was outraged. Mitch Chortkoff was outraged. How can a mere sportswriter include himself on a list of competitors outraged by the...