Byron Scott Calls Howard Out – Not Serious About Winning
- Updated: October 28, 2014
Former teammates, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard, clashed during their time together on the Los Angeles Lakers. Baxter Homes of ESPN, reports why Byron Scott believes this is:
“My outside perspective is Kobe is a real serious guy and wants to win championships,” Scott, the Lakers’ first-year head coach, said after his team’s practice at their facility Monday. “I don’t know if Dwight is that serious about it. I know No. 24 is. I think that probably was the clash.”
With the NBA season re-opening tonight, the comments come on the eve of Bryant and Howard meeting in tonight’s Lakers-Rockets showdown.
Dwight Howard has faced the Lakers three times since leaving the team, but he has yet to play against Kobe Bryant, as he missed all three games due to injuries. Tonight’s game will mark the first time the two go “head-to-head.”
Byron Scott told ESPN he predicts that Howard would “love to beat the crap out of us.”
Kobe Bryant chimed in and said of course Howard would try to play well, but Bryant dismissed the notion that the matchup meant more because of Howard’s presence.
“Why would it?” Bryant asked, rhetorically.
Coach Scott highlighted the reason why Bryant and Howard didn’t connect;”Bryant is known as demanding, Howard as more playful.”
When asked if the two could they have overcome that difference? Scott wasn’t so sure.
“Probably so,” Scott said. “I don’t think there’s one specific way that you can overcome it. I think there’s probably a number of ways, but obviously both individuals have to be willing.”
Kobe Bryant cites “constant tension” between Howard and himself,
“Dwight wanted to do it one way, which he felt was effective. I wanted to do it another way,” Bryant said last November.
Lakers’ Jeremy Lin has had the opportunity to play with Dwight Howard last season with the Rockets and tried not to place blame on either side.
“One thing I have heard from both ends is [Howard] probably came back a little too early (from back surgery) and wasn’t able to be himself,” Lin added Monday. “Beyond that, I really don’t know much of anything.”
Howard left nearly $30 million on the table by departing the Lakers and signing with the Rockets as a free agent.
One thing is for sure, it’ll be very interesting to see how Kobe and Dwight play against each other tonight! We cannot wait to see the Lakers, and the Clippers, back in play!
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