Sports

Bryant must seek help from Lakers teammates

While waiting for white smoke to billow from the roof of Tom Izzo’s mouth, let’s chat about the mundane matter of the Finals.

So, who do you think sat next to Kobe Bryant on the Lakers’ non-commercial flight to Los Angeles following the Game 5 loss to the Celtics?

Or was the one-man team entitled to charter (Hans) solo?

For someone who has scrupulously studied Michael Jordan’s moves and mannerisms, perfecting most, Bryant should know this better than everybody:

His Airness never would’ve won six titles in eight seasons without trusting Bobby Hansen, Trent Tucker, John Paxson and Steve Kerr — if not Bill Cartwright — to make shots . . . especially during the early part of proceedings in order to build confidence to knock ’em down with games and seasons dangling like participles.

Funny how it works, though; in order to make ’em, you’ve got to take ’em, and that means getting enough touches on location and in rhythm so shots don’t have to be forced.

“Trust” is the operative word in the above equation, of course, something that appears to be absent.

Surely, Kobe cannot have lost faith in Derek Fisher, not after he bailed out his off-target teammate and the Lakers down the gully of Game 3, something he’s routinely done during his 11-season tour of duty, comprising four championship crusades.

Conversely, what has Fisher (scoreless after scoring nine points in the first quarter of Game 5) done of consequence since?

Concurrently, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton have had no impact whatsoever, the vast majority on either side of the sphere. Have they become useless because Kobe feels they can’t be relied upon, or are they unreliable because they’re rarely in use?

Additionally, Pau Gasol’s offensive signal is growing weaker instead of stronger as the series peaks; the Grizzlies have refused to take him back.

Aside from Andrew Bynum’s runny right meniscus, are the Celtics’ clamps responsible for all, some or none of the above?

Or should we look no further than Kobe to find fault?

One way or the other, as we again program our body clocks for tonight’s late show, it’s safe to shout that Bryant needs plenty of help to silence the leprechauns two straight.

Easy for us to say Kobe should seek out help, encourage and embrace it. But, by now, he (and Phil Jackson) may very well know better.

Think Jordan would’ve let Hansen, Tucker, Paxson and Kerr play with his ball more than once or twice had they not done something constructive with it when playoff rounds and championships hung in the balance?

His glare would’ve prompted them to look themselves off before His Airness got the chance. And, as illustrious as Jordan was, he would not be a glorious ix-time ring bearer.

The same holds true for Kobe, who has triggered twice as many rounds (120) as Gasol, the second option, and most of ’em were compactly contested. Odds of him winning a fifth Thursday are more promising, I think we all agree, is if he pretends to have renewed confidence in his teammates and shares the shot wealth.

Who knows whether that faux faith will be rewarded? What we do know, for sure, is that Kobe will show up . . . to win. Can the Celtics’ defense show him up, or will he do it on his own?

Let’s hide and watch.

*

During one of Jackson’s final huddles, as the Lakers were making a last-ditch comeback from the free throw line, he told his team the Celtics “lead the league in losing games in the fourth quarter and they’re proving that right now.”

To the delight of ABC’s audience, the nitwork aired the Zen Hen’s provocative statement. Seldom do fans get so much as a whiff of the brutally honest messages coaches deliver to the players. Normally, all we hear is monotonous malarkey.

Who at home hasn’t wondered why these guys are paid millions for spouting such nonsense, or why TV bothers to waste our time when we could be watching commercials?

At any rate, the Coach’s Association was dead set opposed to having its members miked during games for just this reason, but the NBA and its partners gave assurances they’d be protected. There’s supposed to be a screening process in place to weed out anything embarrassing or inflammatory that goes on or is said during times out.

That’s certainly not what happened this time. Somebody royally messed up. And, Jackson, I’m informed, pointedly expressed his displeasure to the proper authorities.

What’s equally amazing is that ABC’s game announcers and studio crew had no clue Jackson’s words should not have been aired, or were ordered not to broach the subject.

Jon Barry actually went so far to claim the Zen Hen purposely denigrated the Celtics.

What was Jackson looking to gain? Get the Celtics even more revved up for Game 6 than they were for Game 5? Guaranteed, Doc Rivers burned 15 DVDs of Jackson’s spiel for the plane ride to LA.

Want another guarantee? Coaches will be un-miked next season. Either that or the TV slug who screwed up will be unemployed. Or both.

peter.vecsey@nypost.com