Nash, D'antoni, NBA insiders ripping Dwight

[djohn2oo8]

DENVER – People are starting to notice.
"Dwight Howard (http://lakers.ocregister.com/category/lakers-personnel/dwight-howard/) is basically Kosta Koufos" was the message I got from one NBA insider midway through the Lakers (http://www.ocregister.com/sections/sports/lakers/)' loss Wednesday night in Denver, referring to the Nuggets' largely anonymous center



Not long after, someone else who works in league personnel offered: "If you dropped in from another planet and had no idea who the players were, you would never know that Dwight Howard was one of the best players."This is what Howard is allowing to happen: As more substandard games go by without noticeable rust dropping off, the image repair that was supposed to happen this season is twisting into reputation tarnishing.

If Howard is banking on disproving all that was said about him during his Orlando exit debacle by showing he is a winner as a Laker, he'd better be saving something super special for late in the season.
Howard's decisions to ramp up slowly and carefully this season, leaning on excuses from back surgery eight months ago and failing to get his conditioning back in gear, have brought him to this point – where those who really know the NBA know that he is not being great.



Ejected for fouling Denver's Kenneth Faried in the face, Howard whined afterward about being penalized by referees for being big and strong – one of O'Neal's favorite statements. Looking so slow on the second night of a back-to-back set before the ejection – to the point that Mike D'Antoni said the Lakers didn't lose "a whole lot" in Howard's ejection – certainly was Shaq-like, too.


Howard blames weakened nerves in his left leg for his inconsistency, saying last week: "There are still days I feel really good, and there are days when I'm not so good. But it's all a process. I'm pretty sure at the end of the year I'll feel a lot better than I do now."


Steve Nash (http://lakers.ocregister.com/category/lakers-personnel/steve-nash/) didn't name names the way D'Antoni did, but Nash had a point to make after the loss to Denver about that kind of mindset.

Everyone has days when they don't have their legs, Nash said, and those are the days when you'd really better "fight.""And find other ways to get it done," Nash said.


Is it going to take all season for Howard to feel like his old self again – and if so, will his new self never bring consistent effort in making the little plays that help teams win?
Or does it run deeper than that ... and is the limited activity his response to not having an offense features him in the post, where he most wants the ball, and teammates' defensive failures next to him?
Or is Howard simply content with being a Laker and having the majority of the pressure falling on Bryant and Nash to save the season? And will Howard wait until he is "the man" and Bryant is retired before truly accepting the responsibility of playing like a superstar every night?

Dangerous conclusions are there to be jumped to when you let the people make Koufos comparisons and see you getting killed by Faried. What we know for certain is that there was plenty of symbolism on that flagrant-foul play and how hard Faried drove toward Howard, who was simply unready to respond in the right way.

"He was just mad," Faried said. "I was getting in his head, and he couldn't get the rebound. He wanted to, but I kept getting every rebound. It's not like I said anything or talked to him."
Faried said the Nuggets were also motivated by the Lakers' victory a month ago at Staples Center: "They were laughing and giggling, so we came out to prove a point."






http://www.ocregister.com/articles/howard-381800-season-one.html

[Killakobe81]

?'s about Dwight remain, but cant look at trade of Howard/Bynum as anything but a win ...even if he never comes back to 100% or if Dwight leaves. Rather have Dwight leave then face the sign him or not dilemma facing the 76ers ...

But again none of this matters. If Dwight was 100% they would MAYBE (at best) win the West but still would face losing to the Heat in June. At this point in their careers Dwight at his best (or even Kobe or Durant) at his is not better than LBJ at his. Though I still have some doubts about Spo he has Wade as his Pippen and Ray as his Kerr/Paxson and BOsh as his Ho Grant. Battier and Haslem play the Rodman roles and Miller gives them ANOTHER shooter. All you other fans are delusional, it's the Lebron era for at LEAST one more year. Just accept it. Spurs, OKC, LAC, LAL , NYK enjoy the ride just know there is the most dominant physical presemce since 3peat Shaq waiting at the end of that ride.

[djohn2oo8]

Doesn't matter if Dwight is 100% or not. It has become apparent he checks out mentally when things aren't going his way, just like Bynum.

[Killakobe81]

Doesn't matter if Dwight is 100% or not. It has become apparent he checks out mentally when things aren't going his way, just like Bynum.

Maybe that's what it is maybe it's health ...who knows? But again doesnt matter Lakers werent winning it all in the 2012-13 anyway ...

[Koolaid_Man]

Doesn't matter if Dwight is 100% or not. It has become apparent he checks out mentally when things aren't going his way, just like Bynum.

Dwight has not checked out mentally in similiar vein to Bynum...Dwight is merely not giving it 100% because he's coming off back surgery AND it's a contract year....He's simply convinced himself that if he goes all out and gets hurt he will ruin his chance at a Max contract...therefore he's holding back

[djohn2oo8]

Dwight has not checked out mentally in similiar vein to Bynum...Dwight is merely not giving it 100% because he's coming off back surgery AND it's a contract year....He's simply convinced himself that if he goes all out and gets hurt he will ruin his chance at a Max contract...therefore he's holding back

Is that why he only gets 9 shots a game? :rollin

[Clipper Nation]

Dwight has not checked out mentally in similiar vein to Bynum...Dwight is merely not giving it 100% because he's still holding out for Brooklyn next year....

fify

[irishock]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/225231/Exec_Dwight_Currently_Playing_Like_Koufos

Dwight Howard is visibly not the same player he was before undergoing back surgery.
"Dwight Howard is basically Kosta Koufos," said one NBA executive on Wednesday.
"If you dropped in from another planet and had no idea who the players were, you would never know that Dwight Howard was one of the best players," said another executive.
Howard was ejected from Wednesday's loss by the Lakers to the Nuggets.



:lol :lol bible

[YoMamaIsCallin]

I've always said that Howard is overrated. He's just proving it. He is not a good defender, he is not a good rebounder, he is not particularly skilled at his position on offense, he doesn't have any quickness, and his free throws are awful. Him winning DPOY because he had lots of weakside help blocks was a complete joke. Really the only thing he's good at is jumping, and being tall and strong.

Deliberately stiffarming Faried in the face, and then claiming to the media he was going for the ball, is just typical Dwight Howard. He does nasty, underhanded things, then pretends he didn't do them. Luckily this one is captured on video for all to see. He was OBVIOUSLY not going for the ball. I would not be surprised if he's suspended for a game.

[TheRealCB]

Are you guys fucking retarted? I bash Dwight all the time because I can't understand how someone can work with so much commitment on his body,but fails to add a fucking spin move and a hook to his game.

BUT,the guy is averaging 17.5 and 12 for fucks sake,plus 2 assists.What else do you want on a team that also features Kobe Bryant,Pau Gasol and Steve Nash?

[djohn2oo8]

I've always said that Howard is overrated. He's just proving it. He is not a good defender, he is not a good rebounder, he is not particularly skilled at his position on offense, he doesn't have any quickness, and his free throws are awful. Him winning DPOY because he had lots of weakside help blocks was a complete joke. Really the only thing he's good at is jumping, and being tall and strong.

Deliberately stiffarming Faried in the face, and then claiming to the media he was going for the ball, is just typical Dwight Howard. He does nasty, underhanded things, then pretends he didn't do them. Luckily this one is captured on video for all to see. He was OBVIOUSLY not going for the ball. I would not be surprised if he's suspended for a game.

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Mute this one :lol
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[djohn2oo8]

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[DMC]

The truth no one seems interested in is that superstars do check out when someone else is hogging the ball. Both Howard and Kobe need the ball in order to feel important, but only Kobe takes shots. Anyone who shoots 41 times in a game when you have Nash, Howard, and Gasol as options isn't someone interested in winning games.

People act like that's the nature of life and that other teams have found ways to work around an entitled chucker, but those types kill teams. Melo was that last year, how well did they do?

Kobe is going to have to force feed Howard (something Kobe should be interested in, force feeding balls) to get him involved in the game. He cannot just expect Howard to go from face of the franchise to clean up man. Kobe already back shelved Gasol and look what happened to him, went from 30-10 to 10-5 a game.

Say what you want, but Kobe should not get all the glory and none of the blame just because he shoots every chance he gets.

[irishock]

Are you guys fucking retarted? I bash Dwight all the time because I can't understand how someone can work with so much commitment on his body,but fails to add a fucking spin move and a hook to his game.

BUT,the guy is averaging 17.5 and 12 for fucks sake,plus 2 assists.What else do you want on a team that also features Kobe Bryant,Pau Gasol and Steve Nash?

[Arcadian]

Dwight Howard is a punk-ass bitch.

Shaq was right. He's not the best center in the NBA. He's not even a center. For me to say this requires great cognitive dissonance, because when Shaq played, I hated him. But I respected his game. He was a real center, and a great one at that. Howard is not and never will be. He will never enter the pantheon of Lakers who preceded him. He doesn't even deserve to wear a Lakers jersey.

:lol Laker fans for having to watch this shithead for at least one season.

[DMC]

Mike D'Antoni Drawing Up Plays To Get Lakers To Like Him Sports News in Brief (http://www.theonion.com/features/sports-news-in-brief/) • sports (http://www.theonion.com/channels/sports/) • ISSUE 48•51 • Dec 15, 2012




http://o.onionstatic.com/images/19/19052/original/700.jpg?8842


LOS ANGELES—Sources within the Lakers organization confirmed Friday that recently hired head coach Mike D’Antoni has been drawing up plays in a clear attempt to make his new players like him. “World Peace, you’ll run a weave screen for Pau to the inside, and then Pau, you’ll shoot the jumper on the weak-side arc—I mean, unless you don’t want to, because you can take a shot from anywhere and you’ll still make it, because you’re awesome,” D’Antoni said during a team practice, repeatedly stressing that his plays “are only guidelines” and players should “feel free to improvise out there.” “When we’re not in possession, Dwight, I want you in the paint, blocking the lane and getting rebounds, because you’re the best defender in the league, and, wow, just watching you play is an honor. And Kobe, you can hover around the perimeter on offense and, anytime you see an opening, just raise your hand and someone will get you the ball. There’s no need to draw up plays for you—if anything, you should be giving me notes, right?” Following the practice, locker room sources reported that every player on the Lakers already hates D’Antoni.

www.theonion.com

lol

[Koolaid_Man]

The truth no one seems interested in is that superstars do check out when someone else is hogging the ball. Both Howard and Kobe need the ball in order to feel important, but only Kobe takes shots. Anyone who shoots 41 times in a game when you have Nash, Howard, and Gasol as options isn't someone interested in winning games.

People act like that's the nature of life and that other teams have found ways to work around an entitled chucker, but those types kill teams. Melo was that last year, how well did they do?

Kobe is going to have to force feed Howard (something Kobe should be interested in, force feeding balls) to get him involved in the game. He cannot just expect Howard to go from face of the franchise to clean up man. Kobe already back shelved Gasol and look what happened to him, went from 30-10 to 10-5 a game.

Say what you want, but Kobe should not get all the glory and none of the blame just because he shoots every chance he gets.

Gasol is not an option....Nash can shoot when he wants to....and Dwight is either in foul trouble or passing the ball back when he's doubled...If Dwight displayed half the dominance and presence that Shaq did this wouldn't be a conversation....If Dwight wants it he should take it...once we trade Pau our problems will be fixed....

[Baseline]

Name the big men who have been happy playing with Kobe Bryant.

I'm waiting...

Still waiting...

Okay. So don't expect to see Dwight in the purple and gold next year.

[Ace]

I've always said that Howard is overrated. He's just proving it. He is not a good defender, he is not a good rebounder, he is not particularly skilled at his position on offense, he doesn't have any quickness, and his free throws are awful. Him winning DPOY because he had lots of weakside help blocks was a complete joke. Really the only thing he's good at is jumping, and being tall and strong.

Deliberately stiffarming Faried in the face, and then claiming to the media he was going for the ball, is just typical Dwight Howard. He does nasty, underhanded things, then pretends he didn't do them. Luckily this one is captured on video for all to see. He was OBVIOUSLY not going for the ball. I would not be surprised if he's suspended for a game.
The guy who has led the league in rebounds 4 times is not a good rebounder? You're fucking retarded and make the last time you post down here.

[Koolaid_Man]

Name the big men who have been happy playing with Kobe Bryant.

I'm waiting...

Still waiting...

Okay. So don't expect to see Dwight in the purple and gold next year.

You mean name the big men that coat-tailed Kobe to a championship?

sure

Shaq 3
Bynum 2
Gasol 2
Odom 2

[djohn2oo8]

You mean name the big men that coat-tailed Kobe to a championship?

sure

Shaq 3
Bynum 2
Gasol 2
Odom 2

Where was Kobe without Shaq, Gasol, and Bynum?

[Spurs9]

:lol more athletic version of Kwame Brown
:lol DeMarcus Cousins more mentally tough

[HI-FI]

Say what you want, but Kobe should not get all the glory and none of the blame just because he shoots every chance he gets.
:lol
you aren't changing Laker fans minds on this. these are the same people who thought Kobe would finally have more street cred after forcing his cock in a chick's ass.

[Koolaid_Man]

Where was Kobe without Shaq, Gasol, and Bynum?

Let's see....where we're they without Kobe is the better question...

Shaq swept in the finals by the Rockets....Couldn't win until Kobe arrived
Gasol 0-12 in the play-offs without Kobe
Bynum a high school nobody

so where was Kobe...here is where he was...

Kobe 2 Shaq 1
Kobe 3 Gasol 2
Kobe 3 Bynum 2

[Koolaid_Man]

:lol
you aren't changing Laker fans minds on this. these are the same people who thought Kobe would finally have more street cred after forcing his cock in a chick's ass.

fucking aye

[djohn2oo8]

Where was Kobe without Shaq, Gasol, and Bynum?


Let's see....where we're they without Kobe is the better question...

Shaq swept in the finals by the Rockets....Couldn't win until Kobe arrived
Gasol 0-12 in the play-offs without Kobe
Bynum a high school nobody

so where was Kobe...here is where he was...

Kobe 2 Shaq 1
Kobe 3 Gasol 2
Kobe 3 Bynum 2


The chimp unable to understand and respond to simple questions. Understandable.

[Koolaid_Man]

The chimp unable to understand and respond to simple questions. Understandable.

blow me ;-)

[djohn2oo8]

The chimp is experiencing homosexual thoughts. This was first observed from the chimp sticking bananas up his rectum instead of eating them.

[Lincoln]

I have nothing against blacks but he really is a stupid n!gger. What an ungrateful piece of shit. This dumbass would be on the streets right now if he wasn't born 6'11

[Koolaid_Man]

I have nothing against blacks but he really is a stupid n!gger. What an ungrateful piece of shit. This dumbass would be on the streets right now if he wasn't born 6'11

or maybe he'd be President ;-)

[Koolaid_Man]

or part of the Congressional Black Caucus

[Koolaid_Man]

The chimp is experiencing homosexual thoughts. This was first observed from the chimp sticking bananas up his rectum instead of eating them.

:lol Rocket man by John Elton

[Lincoln]

or maybe he'd be President ;-)

Do you like sucking dick?

[Koolaid_Man]

Do you like sucking dick?

were you looking in the mirror when you posed that rhetorical question :lol

[Latarian Milton]

dude just a better n stronger version of hamady n'diaye tbh. nigga has no fundamentals that a great player should have and i ain't just referring to his free throws. shaq could pose a threat and make a shot at any angle around the basket while DH can hardly create shots for himself, and his low post game is awful.

[LkrFan]

or maybe he'd be President ;-)
:lol

[LkrFan]

were you looking in the mirror when you posed that rhetorical question :lol
:lmao

[Stalin]

?'s about Dwight remain, but cant look at trade of Howard/Bynum as anything but a win ...even if he never comes back to 100% or if Dwight leaves. Rather have Dwight leave then face the sign him or not dilemma facing the 76ers ...

But again none of this matters. If Dwight was 100% they would MAYBE (at best) win the West but still would face losing to the Heat in June. At this point in their careers Dwight at his best (or even Kobe or Durant) at his is not better than LBJ at his. Though I still have some doubts about Spo he has Wade as his Pippen and Ray as his Kerr/Paxson and BOsh as his Ho Grant. Battier and Haslem play the Rodman roles and Miller gives them ANOTHER shooter. All you other fans are delusional, it's the Lebron era for at LEAST one more year. Just accept it. Spurs, OKC, LAC, LAL , NYK enjoy the ride just know there is the most dominant physical presemce since 3peat Shaq waiting at the end of that ride.


the miami cHeat bandwagon could always use another loyal scro IMO TBH

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I have nothing against blacks but he really is a stupid n!gger. What an ungrateful piece of shit. This dumbass would be on the streets right now if he wasn't born 6'11

Apparently you do if you are relating him being black to him being such a selfish douche.