TNT analysts riff on the Lakers’ demise

Below is a collection from TNT analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Steve Kerr have to say about the Lakers. There’s plenty.

Barkley on Kobe Bryant’s recent comments about teammate Dwight Howard: “You can never question another player when they say they’re hurt. To me, that is a technical foul. That’s not cool at all. If a guy tells me he’s hurt, I have to take his word for it.”

O’Neal on Lakers center Dwight Howard: “The great players before us showed us that you can play through pain. We have all played through pain. His shoulder isn’t going to get any better, [so] play through pain. If you’re so hurt all the time, stop smiling on the court all the time.”

Smith on the Lakers: “This is a technical foul [by Bryant]. Coaches sometimes take technicals to rally their team. Kobe took this technical to rally his team. They are in a position…of not making the playoffs. Forget about winning the championship, they might not make the playoffs. It would be the biggest fumble in the history of basketball if they don’t make the playoffs.

Kerr on the Lakers recent controversy involving Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant: “The soap opera continues for L.A. Just when you thought they’d gotten it back together.”

Kerr on Lakers guard Kobe Bryant: “Kobe is as good as anybody in the league at being versatile and playing whatever role his team needs.”

Kerr on an athlete’s tolerance for pain vs. injury and how Dwight Howard’s health is being reported: “You have to know – as an athlete – the difference between pain and injury. As an athlete, only you know. The other point here is the Lakers insist on having all of their discussions made publicly through the media. Why don’t Kobe and Dwight talk about this on their own?”

Kerr on the Lakers current roster: “This roster does not suit Mike D’Antoni’s eye for the game and what he likes to do.”

O’Neal on playing through pain: “I was raised in an environment that you always play through pain. He [Dwight Howard] either has to decide to play with it [pain] or not.”

Barkley on Dwight Howard playing with a potential injury: “We don’t know what kind of pain that kid is in.”

Smith on playing with injuries: “You can play hurt. You can’t play injured.”

Kerr comparing the Washington Redskins Robert Griffin III with the Lakers Dwight Howard: “Do you think the Redskins regret telling Robert Griffin III to play through his pain? You can make a huge error as an organization if one of your star players gets further injured by putting himself at risk.”

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