Lakers have players meeting and air it out. - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**King Sancho Fantastic** · 01-23-2013, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Lakers 'went at each other a little bit' in morning meeting

Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

Kobe Bryant, right, is said to have confronted Dwight Howard at Lakers' practice Wednesday.
By Mike Bresnahan

January 23, 2013, 2:11 p.m.
MEMPHIS -- The Lakers needed to talk. So they did. Loudly.

They held a clear-the-air team meeting before Wednesday morning's shoot-around, with Kobe Bryant very directly asking Dwight Howard if he disliked playing with the long-time Lakers star.

"Guys went at each other a little bit," said a person who witnessed the meeting.

Coach Mike D'Antoni started it by saying he was tired of reading newspaper stories about players questioning his offense or wanting more touches. Bryant and Howard each fell under that category after the Lakers' lifeless 95-83 loss Monday in Chicago: Bryant said the offense needed to slow down while Howard expressed displeasure after taking only five shots.

D'Antoni then told the team to stop worrying about offense and start playing better defense. The Lakers are fifth in scoring (102.6 points a game) but 26th in defense (101.4 points a game).

He then asked players to speak up. Steve Nash went first.

Nash, in his first season with the Lakers, said he didn't care how they played, whether it was via pick-and-roll or fastbreak or whatever. He just wanted everybody to be comfortable in the system. It was seen as a sacrifice by Nash, who played four seasons under D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense in Phoenix and won two NBA MVP awards while doing it.

Bryant also spoke up, acknowledging he could be "hard to play with" and asking Howard if that bothered him.

Howard's answer was unclear, though he did not engage Bryant in nearly as vocal a manner as Bryant engaged him.

"He didn't go back at Kobe," said the person who witnessed the meeting.

It was not known how long the actual meeting lasted, but the Lakers' shoot-around went an hour longer than expected.

Howard was contrite with reporters afterward, saying he was sorry for demanding more touches two days earlier. The meeting seemed to have affected him.

"It starts with me," he said Wednesday. "I have to be more of a player out there on the court and not worry about anything, not complain. Just do what I do best."

After scoring only eight points on five shots against Chicago, Howard kept telling reporters to "look at the stat sheet" after the game.

"That was immature," he said Wednesday. "I shouldn't have done it.

"I've just got to go out there and dominate defensively and make it tough for teams. I just have to get back to doing that and not worry about the offense."

D'Antoni, for his part, told reporters that the team would "maybe slow it down" on offense. He reiterated his defense-first assessment.

“The focus needs to be on the right thing. Our defense has to get better," D'Antoni said.

The Lakers (17-24) are lodged in 12th place in the Western Conference. They play Memphis on Wednesday night.

Howard tried to hit reset on the Lakers' season, which hit its midpoint Monday.

"I think this will be the start of a new season for us tonight. Hopefully our effort and energy is where it needs to be," he said.

D'Antoni used similar words in saying the team was "restarting" its season last week. The Lakers beat Cleveland and Milwaukee but lost three in a row after that.

Dwight Howard apologizes, says he needs to stop complaining

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1.../p2p-74139520/

MojoPin · 01-23-2013, 02:58 PM

Coach Mike D'Antoni started it by saying he was tired of reading newspaper stories about players questioning his offense or wanting more touches

-- finally some leadership from Mike. This is how you do it. Props to him. Clearing the air will be good for eventually building synergy.

**R-Star** · 01-23-2013, 03:19 PM

You guys understand this isn't a good thing right? Dwight is a child. Hes going to sulk because he was yelled at and everyone didn't pander to him.

He may get more touches, he may turn his game around, but I'm getting pretty confident he's gone at the end of the season.

e-monk · 01-23-2013, 03:26 PM

S&T then - one more run with Pau, Kobe and Nash + promising youth and picks and all that cap space - Im starting to get ok with that

**R-Star** · 01-23-2013, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-monk

S&T then - one more run with Pau, Kobe and Nash + promising youth and picks and all that cap space - Im starting to get ok with that

Would be the route I'd go. Problem with Dwight is he knows how to play to the media. He'll be all smiles and say the right things, just like he did in Orlando.

Make no mistake though, his feelings are hurt.

e-monk · 01-23-2013, 03:29 PM

boo hoo hoo

**King Sancho Fantastic** · 01-23-2013, 03:40 PM

Quote:

On Wednesday, ESPN NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy appeared on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, giving his take on Dwight Howard and the Lakers.

The Lakers have lost three straight games, most recently in Chicago to the Bulls, 95-83. Howard expressed dissatisfaction after taking just five shot attempts.

"When you lose games and you're going around after the game with a stat sheet in your hand and you're saying, 'Look at the stat sheet' to reporters and to your teammates -- you know what it is? It's passive-aggressive, immature stuff," said Van Gundy. "It's sad. This guy has so much to offer that is good for the game, to the game and to the Lakers. They're paying him huge money and they gave up a lot to get him."

Howard has already apologized for his comments, using the same keyword as Van Gundy, "That was immature."

Coach D'Antoni has struggled to blend the Lakers' roster together, especially defensively. The Lakers score 102.6 points a game. Howard has averaged 17.1 points on 58.2% shooting with 12.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

He's also averaging 3.6 fouls a game along with 3.2 turnovers while shooting 50.4% from the free-throw line.

"Unfortunately right now his attitude towards the game is impacting his production on the court and the Lakers are not getting his very best," said Van Gundy. "At his very best he'd still be a dominant defender, rebounder and 18 point-per-game scorer. He doesn't like his role. You can see from his comments, from his play, he has very high role-frustration right now."

The Lakers have had a tumultuous season, starting 17-24 with multiple injuries and three different coaches (Mike Brown, Bernie Bickerstaff and D'Antoni).

"I think it's more dissatisfaction with his situation," said Van Gundy. "He wants to be the best player or No. 1 option offensively. I think it's impacted his entire game."

Van Gundy didn't hold back describing what he sees to be Howard's limitations.

"He has rudimentary offensive skills," said Van Gundy. "He's not a good ball handler. He doesn't have a really well-defensive low-post game - a poor free-throw shooter. But he can have a huge impact on the game defensively - rebounding, screening, rolling, the occasional post move because he's so athletic - but he doesn't want to do it that way."
While Howard, a free agent this summer, wouldn't talk about his long-term future with the team, he did say he believes the Lakers can turn their season around.

"I've just got to go out there and dominate defensively and make it tough for teams," said Howard. "I just have to get back to doing that and not worry about the offense."

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1.../p2p-74139450/

Van Gundy FTW!!

elcap15 · 01-23-2013, 04:25 PM

Finally. Why is taking so long for these guys to get pissed? Where is the pride? Do they not realize how awfull it is to watch them play?

I have waiting to see some fire out of these guys since the 0-8 preseason.

**Jamel Irief** · 01-23-2013, 04:38 PM

How many teams in league history have had a 17-24 record while on average outscoring their opponents by 1.2 points a game?

Yes that's what I took the most out of this thread.

e-monk · 01-23-2013, 06:11 PM

meanwhile Dwight Howard leaves the ggame after logging a turdworthy 2 pts and 2 rbds in 14 minutes - get what you can for him while you can

**King Sancho Fantastic** · 01-23-2013, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Kobe, Howard at center of meeting
Dave McMenamin [ARCHIVE]

ESPNLosAngeles.com | January 23, 2013

MEMPHIS -- In order to move forward and turn around their disappointing season, the Los Angeles Lakers attempted to let go of their past frustrations with a team meeting Wednesday.

Prior to a shootaround in preparation for Wednesday night's game against the Memphis Grizzlies, coach Mike D'Antoni invited members of the Lakers to air their grievances, according to a team source.

Several players spoke up, including Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant, the 17-year veterans who make up the Lakers' backcourt.

Bryant asked Dwight Howard if he was bothered by playing alongside him, according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the meeting.

Bryant acknowledged he could be "hard to play with," according to the newspaper, and challenged Howard to speak up if he had a problem with it. Howard was "despondent" and did not offer much of a reply, according to a team source.

Howard, though, disputed the details of the story after Wednesday's game, a 106-93 loss to the Grizzlies in which he sat out the second half after re-aggravating a right shoulder injury.

"Whatever was said that (Bryant) said is not true," Howard said. "He never asked me if I liked playing with him. I will say that. He never asked me."

Howard then was asked if he was bothered by playing with Bryant.

"No, I'm not," Howard said. "It's something that we all got to learn. We got to learn how to play together."

After Wednesday's game, Bryant was asked if he "felt comfortable" with what he said during the team meeting. He responded, simply, "Yup."

While a coaching change and several injuries have contributed to the Lakers' 17-25 record at the season's halfway point, another major factor in their difficulties has been the lack of rhythm between Howard and Bryant.

Following the Lakers' 95-83 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday, Howard complained to reporters about getting only five shots, while Bryant was 7 of 22. Howard apologized for those comments after Wednesday's shootaround, calling them "immature."

More on the Lakers

For more news, notes and analysis of the Lakers, check out the Lakers Index. Blog

One example of the rocky relationship between the two Western Conference All-Star starters, according to a league source, was a game this season when Howard harped to a teammate about the disparity between his and Bryant's shots while sitting on the bench. The teammate called Bryant over so Howard could tell it to Bryant's face, but the center refused to speak up.

Speaking before Wednesday's game, D'Antoni said he hoped the morning meeting helped.

"I hope it is (a positive thing)," the coach said. "That's the purpose of just trying to move forward, and hopefully it is. We'll see. We're in a rut right now, so the time to stand up, draw a line in the sand would be now.

"Obviously, our problems were the chemistry was not clicking. You try, 'OK, I'll push that guy, I'll pull that guy,' and you hope things overcome that and it didn't. It didn't. Now you get down to brass tactics and open your heart up and let everything be raw and see if we can solve some of the problems or the issues and just go forward."

Pau Gasol was disappointed the meeting was publicized.

"The meeting was a team thing," he said after Wednesday's game. "It was intended to stay that way. I'm not going to talk about what was said or what wasn't said. I think that's enough for us to talk about that we don't have to talk about what was said because I think it's something that should stay within the team and nothing should get leaked out in the first place.

"I don't know how that got out. When we have meetings, we should deal with our stuff as a family, as a group, and our family should be tight. If it's not tight, then there are cracks and the situation just keeps getting worse until at some point it will explode."

Added Nash: "I think it's good we got a chance to talk through it. Unfortunately, we come out tonight, we come out hard and then Dwight goes down and the meeting was for naught."

Lakers forward Antawn Jamison, who noted he has "seen it all" in his 15 years in the league, said this could be a make-or-break point for L.A.

"Now we're at the wall and we're going to find a way to help each other over that wall, or we're going to let the wall push us back even farther," Jamison said before Wednesday's loss.

D'Antoni said it's an issue of the entire team coming together.

"We've got an All-Star team out there," D'Antoni said before the game. "Have you ever watched an All-Star Game? It's God-awful because everybody gets the ball, they go 1-on-1 and then they play no defense. That's our team. That's us. We're an All-Star team and we haven't learned there's a pecking order. There's the one guy, the two guy, the three guy and the four guy. It might not be the same guy every night, but somebody has got to accept being the fourth guy. If you've been the first guy all your life, that's hard to accept. That's what happens in All-Star (Games) and that's what happened with us. Like I said, with today's meeting, hopefully we've overcome a little bit of that. I hope. We'll see."

Added Jamison: "Let's just have fun, man, and enjoy this journey and just pull for each other and realize that this is a special team. The first half of this season has been an embarrassment. We've been the laughingstock of the NBA. So, let's turn that embarrassment into one of the best stories in sports history and turn things around."

http://m.espn.go.com/wireless/story?...ity=losangeles

Marcus13 · 01-24-2013, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamel Irief

How many teams in league history have had a 17-24 record while on average outscoring their opponents by 1.2 points a game?

Yes that's what I took the most out of this thread.

That was honestly the sentence that stood out most to me, too.

"Whatever was said that (Bryant) said is not true," Howard said. "He never asked me if I liked playing with him. I will say that. He never asked me."

-Leave it to Dwight to cause some more controversy.

e-monk · 01-24-2013, 07:48 AM

I did ask for coach van gundy to be fired, er not

**Bogg** · 01-24-2013, 07:52 AM

Stan's a good coach, I'd be surprised if he was out of coaching for long (unless he's just had enough and stays away of his own accord). Interesting aside, my dad played college basketball with Stan.

**R-Star** · 01-24-2013, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bogg

Stan's a good coach, I'd be surprised if he was out of coaching for long (unless he's just had enough and stays away of his own accord). Interesting aside, my dad played college basketball with Stan.

That actually is interesting. What was Stan, a PG I'd assume?

And I agree, Stan should have another team. Hes one of the best defensive coaches in the game, if not the best.

01-23-2013, 02:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
MojoPin Veteran Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 1,106 Rep Power: 143574	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. Coach Mike D'Antoni started it by saying he was tired of reading newspaper stories about players questioning his offense or wanting more touches -- finally some leadership from Mike. This is how you do it. Props to him. Clearing the air will be good for eventually building synergy.

01-23-2013, 03:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
R-Star BBB.net Archivist Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The village of Clive, bro Age: 30 Posts: 37,845 Rep Power: 21474884	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. You guys understand this isn't a good thing right? Dwight is a child. Hes going to sulk because he was yelled at and everyone didn't pander to him. He may get more touches, he may turn his game around, but I'm getting pretty confident he's gone at the end of the season. __________________

01-23-2013, 03:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,672 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. S&T then - one more run with Pau, Kobe and Nash + promising youth and picks and all that cap space - Im starting to get ok with that

01-23-2013, 03:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,672 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. boo hoo hoo

01-23-2013, 04:25 PM	#8 (permalink)
elcap15 Star Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 3,573 Rep Power: 1038197	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. Finally. Why is taking so long for these guys to get pissed? Where is the pride? Do they not realize how awfull it is to watch them play? I have waiting to see some fire out of these guys since the 0-8 preseason. __________________ http://i.imgur.com/RmT8y.gif

01-23-2013, 04:38 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jamel Irief KING OF THE INTERWEBZ! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Watching the Lakers Age: 96 Posts: 20,193 Rep Power: 14125348	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. How many teams in league history have had a 17-24 record while on average outscoring their opponents by 1.2 points a game? Yes that's what I took the most out of this thread. __________________

01-23-2013, 06:11 PM	#10 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,672 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. meanwhile Dwight Howard leaves the ggame after logging a turdworthy 2 pts and 2 rbds in 14 minutes - get what you can for him while you can

01-24-2013, 07:48 AM	#13 (permalink)
e-monk All-Star Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,672 Rep Power: 3274359	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. I did ask for coach van gundy to be fired, er not

01-24-2013, 07:52 AM	#14 (permalink)
Bogg Moderator Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4,606 Rep Power: 4050067	Re: Lakers have players meeting and air it out. Stan's a good coach, I'd be surprised if he was out of coaching for long (unless he's just had enough and stays away of his own accord). Interesting aside, my dad played college basketball with Stan.

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