The Purple & Gold have been through the gamut of bad labels from ‘washed,’ ‘confused,’ and ‘with a championship identity. ’ But after the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the defending champions with a 43-point deficit,

LOS ANGELES — Just ask Kobe Bufkin. Sharing the same first name as Kobe Bryant while playing in the arena that the “Black Mamba” called home is worth sharing, even when not asked about it. Bufkin, the Lakers’ new signee, took fewer than 30 seconds ...