OAKLAND — The sarcasm dripped out of Dwight Howard’s mouth hours after enough blood poured out that he needed three stitches on his lower lip.

“It’s the worst pain of my life,” Howard said.

The Lakers center hardly sounded in a good mood for plenty of reasons. The Lakers’ 109-103 loss Monday to the Golden State Warriors marked the team’s third consecutive loss. The Lakers (36-35) only have a one-game lead over the Utah Jazz (35-36) for the eighth playoff spot. Howard’s 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting only featured only two field-goal attempts in the second half.

But Howard remained largely upset over taking an elbow from Golden State Warriors forward David Lee in the second quarter, a sequence that prompted Howard both to foul him and draw a technical with 3:15 left in the second quarter after jawing with him.

“He got away with a shot,” Howard said. “I’ll remember this game.”
Continue reading “Dwight Howard suggests payback over elbow from Golden State’s David Lee” »

OAKLAND — As he continuously applied lotion his strained left knee, Lakers forward Metta Word Peace vowed one thing.

“It’s not in pain,” he said.

But even the player that Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni described as a “tough guy” conceded uncertainty on whether he would stay sidelined when the Lakers play Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers will reevaluate him on the team’s day off on Tuesday.

After injuring his left knee in a second-quarter play he couldn’t remember, World Peace missed the entire second half of the Lakers’ 109-103 loss Monday to the Golden State Warriors.

“He said the back of his knee was bothering him,” D’Antoni said. “I told him if it’s bothering him you can’t go out. He’s really hurting. That’s why we held him.”

The injury sounds bad.

“I couldn’t really walk,” said World Peace, who posted seven points, two steals and one assist in 19 minutes. “I tried to shoot, but I couldn’t run.”

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

OAKLAND – So much for believing the Lakers could somehow scrap their way to a sixth playoff seed.

With their 109-103 loss Monday to the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, the Lakers remain fortunate just to retain an eighth postseason spot.

The Lakers (36-35) dropped their third consecutive game and have only a one-game lead over the Utah Jazz (35-36) for the eighth seed. Good news for the Lakers: two of their three remaining road games on this week-long trip include sub. 500 opponents in the Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings. Bad news for the Lakers: five of their eight games in April feature playoff caliber teams. More bad news: the Lakers remain unpredictable.
Continue reading “Lakers’ 109-103 loss to Golden State Warriors featured ugly first half” »

OAKLAND — No matter how much treatment he receives on his sprained right wrist or tests it out during practice, Lakers forward Antawn Jamison concedes he has no idea how he’ll feel once he steps court tonight against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena.

But he sounded strongly confident that his injury won’t negatively affect his shooting.

“If I had to change my shooting stroke again, it’s going to be a long night,” Jamison said. “I wouldn’t be playing if I couldn’t play my style or do the things I do. I definitely want to put my team in a situation where I’m not hurting them instead of helping them. But I don’t think it will get to the point where I can’t do the things I normally do.”
Continue reading “Antawn Jamison believes right wrist injury won’t affect shooting stroke” »

In something that completely fits his playful personality, Lakers center Dwight Howard appeared became the latest celebrity to get “slimed”at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards.

After throwing down a vicious dunk and then flexing like the Incredible Hulk, a stream of green slime poured down from the net. Howard soon stopped flexing and showed a serious expression as the goo went all over his clothes. Don’t be surprised if Howard believes this would be a fun prank to pull on a teammate.

(H/T to the Basketball Jones)

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Dwight Howard said he has jokingly lived by this mantra: “If you want a three, give to me.”

He playfully gushes about taking three-pointers both to teammates and reporters. Aside from his three attempts this season, Howard hardly remains serious about suddenly becoming a three-point specialist. Lakers fans remember all too well how Andrew Bynum’s lone attempt to do that last season sparked former Lakers coach Mike Brown to bench him.

But Howard said he remains serious on expanding his mid-range shooting. So much that he spent a good chunk of Monday morning shootaround at the Olympic Club shooting mid-range jumpers with Lakers assistant coach Chuck Person.

“I’m trying to do anything to help our team instead of just worrying about me getting down low in the paint and banging,” Howard said. “I’ll step out and hit a couple of jump shots. That leaves the defense where they have to be honest. I have to continue to work on it.”

It remains to be seen whether Howard will actually apply that when the Lakers (36-34) play tonight against the Golden State Warriors (40-31) at Oracle Arena.

According to the NBA’s Web site, Howard has made 4 of his 15 combined attempts from just inside the perimeter. Howard has also gone 10 of 36 in shots in areas along the free-throw line extended and areas outside of the paint. Howard’s offensive production has primarily centered on hook shots, dunks and tip-ins within the restricted circle where he has shot a combined 369 of 621 from the field (59.42 percent).

But Howard said he’s taken a more concerted effort in expanding his range during practice “for a while.”

“I haven’t taken as many in the game as I needed to,” Howard said. “It’s all about confidence. I can’t worry if I make it or miss it. I just have to shoot it the right way.”

And no, that won’t entail trying to become a three-point shooter.

“I’m not trying to be entertaining,” Howard said. “I’m just trying to win games.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

SAN FRANCISCO — Antawn Jamison had given every indication he’d suit up when the Lakers play tonight against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena despite a sprained right wrist. But after going through morning shootaround taking jumps shots with kinesio tape around his injured right wrist, Jamison is considered a definite go tonight.

“Obviously we’ll monitor him with pain and stuff,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said. “But he said he felt pretty good. So he’ll go. If he can shoot okay, it’s fine. If he’s laboring, we’ll take him out.”

D’Antoni insists Jamison’s shooting accuracy was fine, though the team’s morning shootaround wasn’t open enough to independently confirm that. Regardless, Jamison could face an adjustment period considering he spent Sunday’s practice staying out of contact drills to avoid further damage on his wrist, which he says has a strain and built-up scar tissue.

Jamison’s shooting accuracy, or lack thereof, could play a huge part in the Lakers’ (36-34) fortunes as they hold a two-game lead over the Utah Jazz for the eighth playoff spot. Jamison has averaged 11.3 points a per game on 50.8 percent shooting and a 40.2 percent mark from three-point range in the Lakers’ 32 wins that he played. Through the Lakers’ 32 losses that he played, Jamison averaged only 7.2 points on 42.8 percent shooting and a 29.1 percent clip from three-point range.

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni may backtrack every which way on the team’s playoff fortunes or his passive aggressive criticism toward Kobe Bryant.

But D’Antoni won’t yield on griping about the team’s inconsistent ball movement, namely how it directly correlates to Dwight Howard’s fluctuating field-goal attempts. In the Lakers’ 103-100 loss Friday to the Washington Wizards, Howard scored 20 points through the first three quarters only to have zero shots in the fourth quarter.

“That’s something we talked about,” D’Antoni said. “He has to have the ball somehow. If oyu make the easy play, the ball will find him. We just don’t do that.”

This is hardly a new element. But the commentary has fluctuated. Earlier in the season, the Lakers often stressed the need for Howard to improve his conditioning, adopt a stronger defensive mindset and show more activity on pick-and-rolls. Not anymore. D’Antoni believes Howard has done everything he needs to do to warrant receiving touches inside.

“Dwight has come to a whole new level,” D’Antoni said, “where he’s playing well.”

Howard has also touted the importance of ball movement, but has refused to gripe publicly about his inconsistent field goal attempts.

“I just have to go back on the defensive end and make a stop and help my teammates out and not get frustrated,” Howard said. “Whatever happens, I’ll continue to play my game.”

That’s a stark contrast to earlier in the season. After the Lakers’ 95-83 loss Jan. 21 to the Chicago Bulls, Howard kept showing reporters and teammates alike the box score that showed his five field goal attempts.

How did Howard’s outlook on this issue evolve?

“The better shape I get into, the better I’ll be,” Howard said. “If I can’t get to the rim on offense, I’ll find a way to be effective on the defensive end. If I don’t get [the ball], I’ll set a screen for somebody to get somebody open and just play off that.”

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Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter. E-mail him at mark.medina@dailynews.com

Two days passed and suddenly Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni changed his mind on seemingly everything regarding his team.

The Lakers’ 103-100 loss Friday to Washington left him griping about the team’s inconsistent ball movement and poor defense on Trevor Ariza, two qualities presumably aimed at Kobe Bryant. He facilitated the offense before taking over in the fourth quarter, while leaving Ariza open on nearly every shot. D’Antoni made it fairly he referred to the Lakers’ star without even mentioning Bryant’s when pressed about the stalled ball movement in the fourth quarter.

“That’s a good question. What, are you gonna throw me a piece of dynamite?” he said.

Apparently, D’Antoni’s criticism wasn’t explosive.

“Am I talking about Kobe [Bryant]?” D’Antoni said after practice Sunday at the team’s facility in El Segundo. “I’m talking about Kobe, I’m talking about me, I’m talking about Dwight (Howard), I’m talking about Steve Nash, I’m talking about everybody. Now, to say one is more guilty than the other? No. It doesn’t really matter. It’s, ‘The Lakers screwed up.’ And the Lakers are going to go forward and try to fix it.”
Continue reading “Mike D’Antoni backtracks on post-game rant” »

Two days removed from straining and building up scar tissue in his right wrist, Antawn Jamison vows that won’t keep him sidelined when the Lakers play Monday against the Golden State Warriors.

“As long as I’m able to shoot it and put it on the ground for one or two dribble,” Jamison said, “I should be fine.”

Jamison practiced Sunday in only the Lakers’ non-contact drills so he’d avoid experiencing further damage to his wrist. He also wore kinesio tape along his wrist, a device that helps strengthen the muscles. Off the court, Jamison also will wear a brace and receive ice and electronic muscle stimulation.

The injury to Jamison, who has averaged 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds this season, coincided with Lakers forward Pau Gasol returning after missing 20 consecutive games because of a torn plantar fascia in his right foot. With Gasol’s return, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni planned to feature Jamison as the team’s primary backup power forward.

“You’re always concerned,” D’Antoni said. “But if he says it’s fine. It’s fine. The biggest problem is if he reinjures it or gets hit again. It will sting for a while.”
Continue reading “Antawn Jamison reiterates plan to play vs. Golden State despite right wrist injury” »