22 replies to this topic

[West Coast]

@mcten
Dwight Howard: "I think this will be the start of a new season tonight. Our effort and energy will be better. It starts with me"

@MedinaLakersNBA
Dwight Howard owning up responsibility and saying he needs to take lead role in improving defense

@mcten
Dwight is upbeat and says he believes the Lakers can still be special this season: "I believe we can win"

I'll post more as I see them on Twitter, the Lakers shootaround was a 'rare' extended one today

[West Coast]

@mcten
Dwight on complaining about his 5 shot attempts vs. Chicago: "I shouldn't have done that. That was immature"

@mcten
Dwight Howard when asked if he was coming back to L.A. next season: "We're not discussing that." Stressed staying in the moment

@mcten
Dwight on his changed mindset: "For me it's not about scoring. It's about dominating. That's more than scoring"

‏@Mike_Bresnahan
Dwight Howard apologizes, says he needs to be "more of a player out there on the court and not worry about anything, not complain." #Lakers

[viision11]

That's very nice Dwight. You talk a mean game. How bout getting mean on the court now. WITHOUT getting ejected.

[Phil Jackson]

Someone needs to call him out about getting stripped all the time don't they have Laker Nation dudes interviewing these guys?

[MrKnowItAll]

LEGGGOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

[24allday]

So our season has started for like the 3rd time tonight. I'll believe it when I see it.

[FranklinPeanuts]

So our season has started for like the 3rd time tonight. I'll believe it when I see it.

I'm saying.. How many mulligans does he think we get? Sheesh!

[FranklinPeanuts]

But for real though, is he singing this new tune because all the "source" talk about him possibly being traded started the other day? Ijs.

Edited by FranklinPeanuts, January 23, 2013 - 11:25 AM.

[Piston Honda]

I'm saying.. How many mulligans does he think we get? Sheesh!

I'd say 13. D'Antoni and Howard have used theirs. The rest of the roster is still a go.

[soldier4death]

I thought it started after the 0-8 preseason start, playing the Spurs well in our loss, beating the Knicks on Christmas, then with Nash coming back in the lineup, Pau coming off the bench was going to start good things, Kobe guarding the opponents best players, Dwight saying he would be more aggressive (the first time).

Plus, firing Brown, getting D'Antoni.

I'm sure I'm missing some.

Edited by soldier4death, January 23, 2013 - 12:08 PM.

[LakeShow805]

Obviously had a team meeting yesterday and he knew he had to take some responsibility and man up.

[The Hound]

He seems in better spirits.... hopefully it progresses to something big from him.

[BasketballIQ]

Dwight knows he is getting stripped, but in Orlando he was used to more touches and the losing, and the physical problems do make you upset.

It's plays where he knows at his best he would EAT a guy, and it's become harder to just make a lay-up with minimal contact. He isn't at the AGE where he is "THERE". LeBron just got it LAST SEASON. CHANDLER just GOT IT a few SEASONS ago.

I think Kobe GOT IT in 2008. So it takes time to be a MATURE leader. He doesn't have to be that. I mean neither Kobe nor Shaq were very mature in our 3-Peat years. It's not the chemistry or none of that off court.


On the court, When Nash has the ball First and Kobe scoring comes right after that, There are possessions where Dwight is not even being allowed to set up in offensive rebound position. He should display frustration at the players around him and the system.

That was immature

[JGuez]

So our season has started for like the 3rd time tonight. I'll believe it when I see it.

Actually 4th.

1. Mike Brown
2. Mike D'Antoni
3. 3 Nights games ago...or maybe it was 4.
4. Tonight.

[fozi]

Yeah what he did after Chicago game wasn't acceptable at all..

Hes frustrated for not being the guy he used to be, apologizing and admitting that he needs to improve is half way through, is it enough though ? not really, if the team continues not go on a streak then nothing else would matter.

I do understand somehow that this is a new situation for him, being under pressure and in a franchise like the lakers, despite the injury and the critiques he get.. He should learn and learn quick..

Edited by fozi, January 23, 2013 - 01:45 PM.

Something many don't mention here that he needs to improve on as well going more specifically into the foul trouble issues is the TYPES of fouls he picks up sometimes. Too often he gets at least 1 or 2 wasted unecessary arguably stupid fouls away from the ball. Then again, I believe he's had this bad habit throughout most of his years in Orlando as well so sadly, probably don't see that aspect changing anytime soon much like his free throw shooting.

[Real Deal]

Dwight is getting stripped because we have three guys, total, who want to score (Kobe, Ron, Howard), and we can't stretch the floor enough to pull the defense apart.

A compacted defense can front Dwight with multiple players all game long, and do it easily. It's common sense.

[fido]

It's easy to gang up oin Dwight defensively when there is a minimum of personnel around him forcing the defense to move out of the paint.

The thought when he got here was that teams would have to be spread so thin to defend Dwight that it would be easy inside. Unfortunately either the effort or the talent isn't there many other places, so every team can just cluster around Dwight and force the turnover or him to pass it outside for a lower percentage shot.

Meanwhile, D'Antoni sits on the sideline with no scheme or knowledge on how to fix this, and apparently no motivation to do so either.

[24allday]

I wouldn't be totally suprised if Dwight had a big night tonight along with the whole team and possibly win a tough one at Memphis. The real question is if they can keep that kind of intensity up the rest of the year. Or will they have to reset the season again in 2 weeks due to things falling apart?

[fozi]

Or will they have to reset the season again in 2 weeks due to things falling apart?

Time will tell.