LOS ANGELES – After numerous stops in the NBA along the way, Dwight Howard seems to be a changed man in his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. The veteran center has a new team-first attitude and determination to do whatever is needed for this team to accomplish its ultimate goal this season.
Along with playing for a seemingly legitimate title contender once again, Howard is enjoying the ride in his second time around with the Lakers.
“It's lovely,” Howard said of being back with the Lakers. “Enjoying every minute. Embracing every second. Just going out there and doing whatever the team needs me to do to win games.”
He may not be the focal point, nor is he even a starter or a player that plays the bulk of the minutes on any given night, but Howard seems content with the role he's been assigned in Los Angeles.
On Friday, Howard logged 19 minutes in the team's win over the Utah Jazz. The veteran center finished with seven rebounds, two points, two assists, two blocks, and two steals.
“I just want to come out here and play as hard as I can,” Howard said. “Be a presence on the defensive end. We got some prolific scorers, so make sure to get those guys some open shots, and then crash the boards hard. Put pressure on the rim, but also make other team's bigs work on every possession, whether it's a free throw, offensive rebound, or whatever it may be. Making sure they've got to work for 48 minutes.”
Even though Howard's mindset has changed, free throws are still an issue for the eight-time All-Star. Howard has made a point of it practice free throws immediately after games as he did on Friday night at the Staples Center.
The real question with Dwight moving forward is whether he can maintain his progress throughout the season while staying in the rotation and helping this championship-caliber team. Howard is as determined as ever, but there's a long way to go with 80 games left in the 2019-20 campaign.
Follow Us
Subscribe