151 replies to this topic

[Goku]

Ron did not cost the Lakers last season, please. He is entitled to his opinion as well.

He kinda did though. Came to camp overweight, like 300lbs. Had a [expletive]ty season, then when he started to get better, he almost killed Harden and got a suspension that almost cost us the Denver series, then of course due to lack of rest we got merked by Thunder.But anyway...

Edited by Tensai, February 07, 2013 - 10:16 AM.

[fido]

Win as a team, lose as a team.

There were far more problems last year than Ron's issues.

But yeah, anyway, back on topic.

[Chad]

Dwight is playing tonight. Go Kobe!

[fido]

I think Dwight was playing either way, especially with Gasol out.

Again, every player should stop running to the press to air what should be done in the locker room.

[24allday]

He kinda did though. Came to camp overweight, like 300lbs. Had a [expletive]ty season, then when he started to get better, he almost killed Harden and got a suspension that almost cost us the Denver series, then of course due to lack of rest we got merked by Thunder.But anyway...

Lack of rest?? They were just the clear better team man. Bynum and Gasol didn't show up for half our games in the playoffs anyway.
And also what concerns me about Dwight is that he will maybe never be the same guy we know from Orlando. He's looked absolutely nothing like him this year.. sure you can keep saying "it takes time" but how long? It's been 10 months since his back surgery. I have my doubts that he'll never be that same monster he once was, and you pair that with his nonexistent mental toughness.. I just dunno

[Windu]

I blame all of our problems on the front office.

[SportyIntellectual]

No one can know what another person feels inside their body. If the pain is debilitating, then don't play. I'm fine with that.

What we *can* question, however, is a player's HEART, because this is something they demonstrate to us over time. And any time a 27-year-old is talking about being 'worried about his future', then you know he's a vajayjay, for lack of a better word...no disrespect to vajayjay intended. That's the kind of thing you start saying when you're 34-35 years old, not 27.

At 27, male or female, you're invincible. If not, then you're already damaged goods, 'cause you ain't got the heart.

[Goku]

Lack of rest?? They were just the clear better team man. Bynum and Gasol didn't show up for half our games in the playoffs anyway.
And also what concerns me about Dwight is that he will maybe never be the same guy we know from Orlando. He's looked absolutely nothing like him this year.. sure you can keep saying "it takes time" but how long? It's been 10 months since his back surgery. I have my doubts that he'll never be that same monster he once was, and you pair that with his nonexistent mental toughness.. I just dunno

I don't know, I thought if DEN series ended in like 5 games, we would have challenged Thunder for real good. Thunder were sloppy just as we were but they finished the games. It's all past now tho..


I agree about Howard. If it comes to that, we should push the trigger and trade him. In a 3-4 way trade we could get a lot of pieces for now and future. Kobe doesn't need another superstar to win, he needs a team.

[Windu]

Kobe doesn't need another superstar to win, he needs a team.

For Kobe to win another ship...

Mike D'Antoni has to be fired

Pau Gasol has to be traded

[fido]

Another ship?

[West Coast]

Spin job by ESPN.

Kobe said this morning he wasn't rushing Dwight to play, not even a little bit.

[MDI]

Kobe wouldn't come out and ask him twice publicly to play unless Dwight did something or didnt do something that Kobe wanted for the sake of the team. I dont think the point is that Dwight should play through injuries and play these next 2 games...its just show some seriousness about the team, do all you can as a committment to this team to put them in champoinship contention, that is the bigger issue here...the bigger picture.

I still think Dwight shouldn't play tonight and tomorrow and we should win these 2 games but Kobe's bringing playing through injuries as a bigger picture kind of deal

[MDI]

Reporter: Have you talked to Kobe about it, just your situation?

Dwight Howard: "What situation?"

Reporter: In terms of your injury and all that?

DH: "Have I talked to Kobe?"

Reporter: Yes, just as far as outlining, like, telling him your perspective?

DH: "Of what?"

Reporter: Of you wanting to take the long view?

DH: "Why do I have to explain that to Kobe?"

Reporter: Well, because he’s a teammate …

DH: "He’s a doctor?"

Reporter: No, but he’s a teammate.

DH: "OK. So I should explain that to all my teammates then, right?"

Reporter: I’m not insinuating that. I’m just asking, have you talked to him?

DH: "I’m asking you …"

Reporter: I don’t know if you’ve talked to him.

DH: "I’m asking you, I’m supposed to tell all my teammates?"

Reporter: No, I’m just asking if you talked to him.

DH: "Just Kobe. Just Kobe."

Reporter: Considering the comments he made yesterday …

DH: "I don’t know what he said."

Reporter No. 2: He says we don’t have time for Dwight’s shoulder to heal. We need urgency. We need him back on the floor. This is the Lakers. It’s either a championship or a complete failure.

DH: "OK."

Reporter No. 2: What do you say to that?

DH: "That’s his opinion."

http://sulia.com/channel/la-lakers/f/89fa0ae2-ee2f-4212-9e7e-ec40e68e8888/?source=twitter

[Notorious Arab]

Howard is just frustrated from all the media questions. You can just tell he's not in the mood for interviews.

[-Wade-]

I wish instead of Dwight Howard responding, he would keep toying with the idiotic reporters. Oh, I didn't know he was my teammate... If players have things to say they should be said in the locker room and not through media sources. The media always enjoys pushing buttons and waiting for reactions.... like a bored psychologist or something.

Edited by -Wade-, February 07, 2013 - 11:10 AM.

[Michaelyumm]

Lmao Dwight doesn't want the world to hate him, but if he books it next year! trust us Dwight the whole world will hate your ass. Your stuck in L.A. Bud

[24allday]

Dwight needs to just play like an animal tonight and shut every reporter the [expletive] up

[Notorious Arab]

I wish instead of Dwight Howard responding, he would keep toying with the idiotic reporters. Oh, I didn't know he was my teammate... If players have things to say they should be said in the locker room and not through media sources. The media always enjoys pushing buttons and waiting for reactions.... like a bored psychologist or something.

Exactly. The media wants something to jump on to create a controversy when in reality, there's nothing significant happening. I will bet my money that Howard plays tonight. He has to.

[True Lakers Fan]

its kinda Kobe fault too, Kobe said it himself that he thinks Dwight cares too much on what people thinks, but the ironic part of is Kobe is criticizing him publicly

[MDI]

http://espn.go.com/l...shoulder-injury

Bryant said that his comments on Wednesday weren't meant to turn up the pressure on Howard in light of the news that Pau Gasol has a torn plantar fascia in his right foot.

"There's an urgency to be out there, but it's not at the cost of making his shoulder worse," Bryant said after shootaround. "I've always said if he was healthy enough to play and there was a situation where he wasn't going to make it any worse then he should be playing. There should be an urgency about that, but I don't think I said anything that was different (then he said before)."

Bryant wasn't the only one of Howard's teammates to clamor for the All-Star center's return, however.

"I think everyone has got to play through some pain in this league and I'm not sure where Dwight exactly with his (injury), but hopefully he's ready to come back soon," Steve Nash said. "I think it's inevitable he's going to feel some discomfort and pain."

Metta World Peace spoke up in support of Howard, citing how effective he has been while coming off offseason back surgery.

"He's doing great and (he is) a great teammate," World Peace said. "He's out there, he had a couple 20-20 games and is averaging 18 and 11 or something like that playing hurt coming off that back surgery. I would say he's a soldier and I'm not going to question his injury. He's hurt to me. We have to go out there and we have to hold it down for him."

Howard said that Gasol's injury has not sped up his timeline to return and added that the way he feels he mishandled his back injury last season in Orlando is shaping how he deals with his shoulder this year.

"I don't want that situation to happen again," Howard said. "Last year I wanted to prove and show people that I can play through injuries, but the back is something serious and I don't want that to happen again."

Howard was asked if he could see his shoulder injury becoming worse if he gets back on the court.

"Yes, (with) the way I play," Howard said. "The post is not an easy position. You're pushing guys (who weigh) 260-270 (pounds) and you have to use a lot of force to do that. If play tonight, we'll see how I feel later on. If I don't, we'll just have to move forward."