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[pmatic]

Welp, so much for the Rockets losing.

 

[trickster360cj]

Kobe's work ethic

 

[laker4lifeman]

In my mind I'm a scorer but I actually play like LO

 

[essential1]

I can get any shot I want, any time.......

Making it? Well, let's say there's a reason I'm down with the Mamba..



I'm just playin, I patterned my game after #32, always be passin. I've hit so many of my friends in the face cuz they aren't ready, they learn real quick to be ready after a couple of those.

Have to admit, havin Magic and Kobe as two of your favorite players of all time is a tad odd. But mix in Nick Van E, folks will see what I'm about.

One player on the team I coached fast as hell, always could drive to the hoop, and threw passes out of nowhere..

Needless to say a lot of turnovers because no one was ready for his passes... Had to spend a whole 30 minutes of practice trying to get them to read what he's doing..

One play played with a reserve, he drove to the hoop, defense collapsed on him... He somehow was able to jump in the air behind the back pass to the reserve and he missed the pass completely....


Three players on that team could be monsters... Wanted to work with all three during offseasons, but only got one. But the one I'm working with is the one I really wanted.. Dude has Kobe's work ethic in the 8th grade.. He's all business, at all times.. Dude has quick hands on defense, moves like crazy laterally, and drives and draw contact every time he gets the ball.

 

[6 Rings G.O.A.T.]

.

 

[essential1]

Dwight Howard shoulders blame

By Ramona Shelburne | ESPNLosAngeles.com


EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Lakers already have lost more games this season (29) than they have in any full season since 2007, and big man Dwight Howard says he knows his inconsistent energy and struggles with conditioning have cost his team some of them.

"You've got to have energy and I want to bring that energy every night," Howard said in a revealing interview Saturday afternoon. "That's my job. They count on me to be that guy. I just know how much more effective I will be when I'm in better shape. And, unfortunately, it's cost us a lot of games."

Howard said his conditioning has improved throughout the season, but he's still "not even close" to where he wants to be, and where he once was before undergoing back surgery in the offseason.

"I knew that would be a process. The better shape I'm in, the more active I can be and the more I'm able to do on the floor," he said. "But it was a struggle at first because I just didn't have it in the tank, especially on defense."

Howard took six months completely off from basketball after having surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back last spring. He didn't resume physical activity until right before training camp began in October.

"I didn't have a chance to really get in good shape," he said. "And then it's hard trying to get in shape during the season, playing a lot of minutes and traveling. It's very tough. But I'm trying to do the best I can with what I have and work on my conditioning every day."

Howard admitted he's had to pace himself on both the offensive and defensive ends this season and that has hurt his team.

"I don't want to pace myself. I want to be able to go all out, but you've got to be in great shape to do that," he said. "I know what I've been able to do in the past and I know right now I'm not able to do that for a whole game.

"That comes with time. But I'm not going to get discouraged. Once I get tired I'm going to ask for a blow, take a break, then get back out there and go hard again."

The Lakers' depth in the front court is lacking after a season-ending injury to Jordan Hill (hip) and a foot injury that will keep Pau Gasol out at least another month. Howard admits he's going to continue to pace himself and hold back at times.

"There's no subs so until I get in great shape, some times I have to make sure I don't risk a dumb foul because I'm out of shape or fatigued," he said. "I usually can play 45-48 minutes without getting tired. Now after five possessions I'm winded. But all that stuff will come. Hopefully, if we continue to do what we've been doing, by the time we get to the playoffs, I'll be in pretty good shape."

Howard said he feels better right now than he has all season. It's shown in his play as well. He had 24 points and 12 rebounds in Wednesday's win over the Boston Celtics and 19 points and 16 rebounds in Friday's win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni attributed that to Howard's improved conditioning, as well as a renewed commitment to trying to run and execute a pick-and-roll-based offense.

"He's getting in better shape," D'Antoni said of Howard. "A lot of times what happens when you get tired, you just want to go down and say, 'Just give me the ball because I'm too tired to go get it.' I think that was happening earlier. But now he's getting in a little bit better shape; he's getting a better relationship with Steve (Nash) on the pick and roll. Now he understands that he can be in every play. We want him in every play and will be a big factor in them."

And when Howard plays well and brings energy to the defensive end of the floor -- where he is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year -- it can have a trickle-down effect to the rest of the team.

"He's our leader on the defensive end," Lakers forward Earl Clark said. "He can be so dominant when he's rebounding and blocking shots, we'll just follow suit. It makes everybody want to play hard."

Howard said getting some extra rest over the All-Star break helped, as has a new diet he started over the break.

"I'm just making sure I don't eat as much candy and sugar so I can get in good shape," he said. "Back when I was able to play 48 minutes, I could eat anything. But now I can't."

Just how big of a candy lover is he?

"Am I a big candy person? That's an understatement," he joked. "My pantry is full of candy. Skittles just sent me 30 pounds of Skittles. I have a nightstand full of every candy you could think of. Skittles, blow pops, Laffy Taffy, Reese's Pieces, Kit Kats, all types of candy was in the drawer. They had to clear it out."

Dwight Howard in a good place
Lakers center has felt reflective since Buss' death and has found a new vision

By Ramona Shelburne | ESPNLosAngeles.com
LOS ANGELES -- He met him once and tried to glean what he could. But former Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss was already very sick when Dwight Howard went to visit him this fall in the hospital where Buss would ultimately die.

And so Howard had a singular focus Thursday afternoon when he attended Buss' memorial service.

"It might sound like I didn't care, but I really wasn't paying attention to who was in the room," Howard said after the Lakers' 111-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Staples Center. "I was really just listening to everything that was said about Dr. Buss and what kind of person he was.

"He left a legacy. I was thinking the whole service -- I want to be how Jerry Buss was. He changed this city. Those are things I want people to say about me when I leave this earth."

Not a lot of kind things have been said about Howard these past two seasons. He has been called immature and selfish. He has alienated fans in Orlando and Los Angeles with his words and his actions.

But as he sat in a star-studded audience Thursday afternoon listening to the impact one man can have on the world, something seemed to crystallize in Howard's mind. A vision for himself. An affirmation of his values. Perhaps even reason for all that he has been through these past two years.

"There's a lot of negative things that take place in the world," Howard said. "I would like to see positive things happen as well. There's a lot of negativity always going around. I don't think it's good. I think as role models we have the opportunities to change the perception, make people have a more positive outlook on life. I just hate negativity. I hate being around it. I hate anybody that's not positive."

So what does he hope his legacy will be?

"My legacy? Well ... Great man. Changed the world," Howard said. "Somebody that never let things that people attacked him with change who he was as a person and a player. I believe I can do that. Motivate a city and a team to win. That's what he did. I'm going to continue look at [Dr. Buss] and guys who did something special like that. Phil Jackson, all the guys who won. It's all about winning."

It was moment of genuine introspection. A moment when you thought that maybe something had changed in Howard as he sat in that audience Thursday afternoon, listening to legends tell stories of a great man.

It might be a coincidence. But the fact that this moment has come after Howard's best two games as a Laker -- he had 19 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks in the Lakers' win over the Blazers on Friday -- feels as if it means something.

Did Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak's show of unconditional support for him Wednesday morning touch him?

Did Buss' legacy?

It's hard to say what combination of emotions and self-reflection brought Howard to this place. But listening to him talk Friday, it felt as if the place he was in was a good one.

He took ownership of his failures. He acknowledged his responsibilities to this team and the Lakers franchise.

"I think it starts with me," Howard said with surprising candor. "I have to really come out every night with the same intensity and the same effort. When I get tired, I can ask coach to take me out. I think it starts with me. I have to do a better job of playing hard. I'm going to try."

He sounded different. Genuine. Connected. Changed.

"All I could think about [Thursday at Buss' memorial] was his legacy, what he stood for, how he changed the whole culture of the NBA, sports, L.A.," Howard said. "It meant a lot to me to hear what people were saying about him and thinking about everything I've seen since I've been here, since I've been a Laker."

It was one nice moment at the end of an emotional week. One night. One game.

He gets it

 

[pmatic]

Not falling for it.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Oh look at that liar lying about some more lies

 

[essential1]

In my mind I'm a scorer but I actually play like LO

I play like DFish...

Doesn't help that I'm a short lefty.. So I get called DFish a lot on the court..

But in a nutshell that's me on offense... I generally just play quietly, and I start to step up more when needed... When we need a bucket, I always find a way to get open and drain a 3.



Defensively I try to piss you off.. I always stay connected to my man.

 

[Deleted member 38182]

I play a lot like Terrance Williams with current day Vince Carter athleticism in a 5'10 Royce White built body....

 

[akajae]

In my mind I'm a scorer but I actually play like LO

I play like DFish...

Doesn't help that I'm a short lefty.. So I get called DFish a lot on the court..

But in a nutshell that's me on offense... I generally just play quietly, and I start to step up more when needed... When we need a bucket, I always find a way to get open and drain a 3.



Defensively I try to piss you off.. I always stay connected to my man.

pull up jumpers on fast breaks

5 missed layups a game

opposing PG career night

:x

 

[essential1]

I play a lot like Terrance Williams with current day Vince Carter athleticism....

Wait what does Terrance Williams play like???

 

[essential1]

In my mind I'm a scorer but I actually play like LO

I play like DFish...

Doesn't help that I'm a short lefty.. So I get called DFish a lot on the court..

But in a nutshell that's me on offense... I generally just play quietly, and I start to step up more when needed... When we need a bucket, I always find a way to get open and drain a 3.



Defensively I try to piss you off.. I always stay connected to my man.

pull up jumpers on fast breaks

5 missed layups a game

opposing PG career night

:x

No.. I normally just play off ball...

I cut to the bucket, never drive, when I pick teams I know exactly who to get first...

Defensively.... Never do I get torched.. You better be prepared to get angry because I don't sag on my guy...


But I'm sure you play like Lebron right

 

[mjgreatxii]

On the perimeter when I was skinny I used to get Kobe A LOT!
Now that Ive gained weight I get marc gasol.
Ill take it

 

[Deleted member 38182]

Derek fisher never gets torched??

 

[Deleted member 38182]

I play a lot like Terrance Williams with current day Vince Carter athleticism....

Wait what does Terrance Williams play like???

Sorta like Iguodala, maybe even a super light version of Lebron sometimes

 

[akajae]

it was a joke

but i do play like Lebron

not cereal

 

[essential1]

Derek fisher never gets torched??

Offensively I play like Fish...

Defensively I don't know who I play like, but I play extremely physical defense.. What I learned when I would play with my older brother and his friends, that if you play physical defense once they cross the half court line whether they have the ball or not... They'll be so pissed that once they get the ball they'll be off. (Pissing someone off during games is the funniest part of ball to me)

 

[Deleted member 38182]

I play a lot like Terrance Williams with current day Vince Carter athleticism....

Wait what does Terrance Williams play like???

Sorta like Iguodala, maybe even a super light version of Lebron sometimes

 

[CHAOSE57]

I play like Andre Miller Basic fundamentals get it done

 

[licensed to ball]

I hoop like... Jarrett Jack.

Srs.

Not the most athletic or quickest. 6 foot 3. Nothing fancy, but i Love to dish out those dimes and get my teammates going.
But can knock down shots when open, and create them for myself when I need too.

I'm very good at running the pick and rolls. But I LOVE fast breaks, After a shot goes up I usually run up the court anticipating a Kevin Love outlet. Sorta cherry pick it a bit because Im usually gaurding the perimeter guy.
Sometimes they get it to me, sometimes they dont. Today everyone was yelling "Get back!! Get backk!!" because I got them one too many times. I think they were getting annoyed. One dude was like "all hes gonna do is run back and wait for a pass...so just watch that"... I was like You Jelly bro? dont be mad because youre too slow.

but I cant dunk. It doesnt help that im Persian though. Middle Easterns cant jump...I got absolutely no hops.

 

[pmatic]

I guess I'm like a Kyle Lowry without the abrasive personality.

I push the ball, attack the basket, shoot threes and my defensive effort wanes in and out.

 

[mosk33toe]

I play like an even more timid Pau Gasol. When I was in shape i'd kill people on the block with up and under moves, now i'm winded after 5 minutes and I just look to pass.

I need to get in shape...

C'mon Washington!!!!

You can do this!!!!!!!!!!

Go Lakers!

 

[kvsm23vs24]

All y'all playing like Kobe, Magic, Dirk??
We got to have a basketball summit I can't believe some of this

 

[Deleted member 38182]

We need to have a Lakers thread basketball summit