How many free throws did he make?

 

25/39

Tied his NBA record for most free throw attempts in one game.

Set a Lakers record for most free throws made in one game.

 

Suuuuuuppppaaaamaaannnnn IS IN DA BUILDIN!!! This game was all about the return of Dwight Howard to his former home. He did not disappoint in his first game back in Orlando, as the Lakers get the 106-97 win.

All eyes were focused on Mr. Howard to see how he would react to a hostile crowd. After the Lakers last game Kobe Bryant was quoted as saying, "Boos don't block dunks." D12 certainly took that advice to heart. He played with energy and intensity all night. The Lakers looked for him every chance they could. The Magic resorted to the Hack-a-Howard tactic several times tonight. Dwight wound up shooting a ridiculous 39 free throws, tying his own NBA record for most attempts in a single game. He responding by making 25 of them, setting a new Lakers record for most free throws made in a single game. D12 made 16 of 20 in Hack-a-Howard situations. That's just outstanding. Bravo sir. Talk about a plan backfiring. Ouch for Orlando head coach Jacque Vaughn.

There's not much to talk about in regards to the starter's offense tonight. With Orlando doing so much hacking the offense never really got into rhythm. However, when the 2nd unit was in the game they really ran the offense well. Blake and Jamison have great chemistry. It shows every time Jamison slips a screen and Blake rewards him with a pretty pass for a layup. Blake had 8 dimes, and he even took it to the rack once. Impressive. Bench play is especially critical on the road. The Lakers bench did their job tonight.

Notables:

The Good:
- Superman game. 39 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks
- Blake & Jamison was a killer 1-2 punch off the bench
- Pau is getting closer to coming back

The Bad:
- Closed quarters poorly

This game should provide closure for Dwight. He can now breathe a sigh of relief. Can't rest too long though, they'll play Atlanta tomorrow night.

 

Wow!!! Kobe must be madder than heck

 

He was. He was pissed at the ref for not calling the foul. He wasn't pissed at the defender (which I would have been lol).

From his twitter:
Lakers should have won the game, but they looked a little tired and the Hawks played well. Review will be up tomorrow.

 

Come on slacker, tomorrow, really? Get to work!!

 

Oh he's mad at the guy, his interview was funny afterwards, you could see his frustration
He said it sucks he has wait a year for revenge

Kobe is turned into a true classic old school bball player,

 

Bruce Bowen has been doing these "moves" to injure other players for most of his career.

 

 

I was sleepy!

Ya bully!

Oh really?! I gotta watch that now. I turned it off after the loss

 

You must be a Spurs fan.

 

I liked Bruce Bowen as a player, he was great defender and good 3 point shot,

Just like in 2001 year sixers and lakers were in finals, Derek fisher and Tyron lue were Soo annoying. But great players I think

 

This one wasn't pretty folks. In fact, it got downright ugly at the end of it. The Lakers fell to the Hawks 92-96.

The Lakers had no legs throughout, Dwight was in foul trouble, and they struggled to score against the shorthanded Hawks. All night the Lakers missed open looks. They found themselves down by 14 in the first half. A heroic 3rd quarter from Kobe brought them within reach to start the 4th.

The Lakers took a 4 point lead early in the 4th, but then they took a lot of 3's and pretty much missed them all. Yet they found themselves down by 4 with around 25 seconds to play. Kobe hit another ridiculous turn-around 3 to bring them within 1. They then had to foul to extend the game, and Atlanta's Kyle Korver made 1 of 2 free throws leaving the door wide open for LA. Down by 2, Kobe came down the court guarded by Danhtay Jones. He took one of his patented baseline fade-aways to tie the game and...it missed. Kobe was next seen reeling in pain on the ground. Jones walked under Kobe during his shot, and when Kobe landed he landed on Jones' foot causing him to severely sprain his ankle. No foul called on the play. The Hawks secured the rebound, hit two more free throws, and the game was over.

It simply was a dirty play. It's well known in the sport of basketball that you don't undercut a shooter. It's dangerous. And this play was proof. The NBA should be ashamed of themselves if Jones is not punished (which it doesn't look like he will be). Especially since he has a history of doing these types of dirty plays. He admittedly tripped Kobe in the 2009 playoffs. I mean can you imagine what suspension would have been handed down if this were MWP? Or if the play had injured LeBron? The league has a HUGE double standard and it's honestly a disgrace.

I love the Lakers, but the NBA is the most unscrupulous sports organization there is.

Notables:

The Good:
- Played like crap, but had a chance to win
- Utah also lost, so for the moment the 8th seed is retained

The Bad:
- Earl Clark sprained his ankle
- Kobe sprained his ankle
- Tired legs in the second of a back-to-back
- Brick city from three point land

These injuries couldn't have come at a worse time. The team is finally getting it together, and Pau is on the cusp of a return. They are in the middle of a playoff berth dogfight. Now this. Other players are going to have to step up.

 

Last night I said other players would have to step up in Kobe's absense, and that's exactly what they did. Among key contributions from Steve Blake, MWP, and Antawn Jamison the Lakers defeated the Pacers 99-93 on the road.

Indiana came into the game as the 2nd seed in the Eastern conference. They've gotten that status by having the league's top ranked defense, and they play well at home. The Lakers were ready to meet that challenge.

In a move that surprised no one, yet amazed everyone at the same time, Kobe Bryant was in the starting lineup. Only one day removed from a high ankle sprain received at the hands of Danhtay Jones. Despite his ankle swelling to grapefruit-like proportions, the Mamba wanted to play. He only played the first 12 minutes and shot 0-4. However the emotional boost he provided just by stepping on the court can't be underestimated. The Lakers fought hard from the opening tip. The energy could be seen on both ends of the court.

Early on the Lakers shot poorly, and Dwight got into foul trouble. Indiana punished the Lakers inside with any small ball lineups they ran. The Lakers D was energized though which allowed them to stay in the game. They started out with an 11 point deficit in the 1st, then later opened up an 11 point lead of their own in the 2nd behind Dwight's dominance. Dwight was forced to sit again, and the Pacers trailed by 5 at the break.

The second half was a dogfight with MWP, Blake, and Jamison taking the scoring burden. There were several lead changes, but the score was tied at 87 with 1:30 to go in the game. Nash threw a pass to D12 who had secured deep post position for an and-1. On the next Lakers possession Jamison drilled a 3. The Lakers got a stop on the defensive end and Jamison got fouled. He made 1 of 2 free throws. Indiana's George Hill then made a 3, but on the ensuing in bounds play the Lakers beat the Pacer's full court pressure to get a Howard dunk on the other end. It was a free throw shootout from that point on. Great win.

Notables:

The Good:
- Great team win
- Hustle was evident all over the court
- The offense was decisive. Guys looked comfortable and aggressive. Very sharp and crisp.
- D12 was dominant when he was on the court
- Blake, Jamison, and MWP picked up the slack
- Mamba sucked it up for the betterment of the team
- Defense was outstanding

The Bad:
- Nash took a minor injury to his right calf

This was a great win for building chemistry and trust. We even got to see Coach Kobe on the sidelines again (remember last year?). Pray that the Lakers continue to get healthy and then the sky is the limit. The Lakers next play the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

Go Lake Show!!!

 

I'm going to assume your a writer or sports reporter. Nice report

 

No, he's just a bored fanatic. Lol

 

Thanks man

LOL. That's only partially true.

 

Balance. Balance. Balance. The Lakers defeated the Sacremento Kings 113-102 with an offensive attack that came at all angles.

From the onset the Lakers looked sharp, agressive, and comfortable. They ran a bevy of scren/rolls, drive and kicks, and low post touches for Dwight. Dwight was frequently doubled so he kicked it out to the open man who knocked down the shot with regularity. This is what's meant by the term "inside-out" basketball. The idea is you force the defense to respect your inside game so much so that they have to abandon defending the perimeter as well, thereby giving you open looks.

This means nothing however if your players don't make those shots. Last night the Lakers had no problems in this area converting 57% of their field goals. It should be noted that the Kings are not exactly know for their defense (to say the least). However, the Kings can score the ball in bunches, and they also have a glutten of the Lakers perennial achilles heel: speedy guards. The Kings's guards that fit this mold include Tyreke Evans, Isaiah Thomas, & Marcus Thornton. For the most part that threat was neutralized by Mr. Dwight Howard. He blocked 5 shots, but just his presence alone altered several more. The Kings tried to take advantage when he was out of the game, but the Lakers did a decent job of defending the paint in his absense. It also helped that he was not in early foul trouble in this game.

The bench duo of Blake and Jamison really hurt the Kings, and they've been coming into their own as of late. Jamison had 27 points and 9 rebs off the bench. That is HUGE. Blake? Well he only had 16 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Not too shabby huh? I think the key for him has been being agressive. I always thought Blake could play. It would drive me insane though when he would drive through the lane only to pass up a wide open layup to kick it out to someone for a three. I'd pull my hair out when he would receive a wide open three point opportunity from a kick out and then hesitate to shoot. Which would undoubtedly throw off his timing and wind up in a missed shot. I'm glad to say that Blake is no more. The current Blake has confidenc galore, and it's only helping his team. Good job Steve.

Notables:

The Good:
- Ball movement and offensive flow was simple, and executed well
- 6 of the 7 Lakers who played were in double figures
- Dwight showing DPOY type performances
- Watching the team enjoy playing together
- Another win while awaiting Kobe and Pau's returns

The Bad:
- Up until the 4th, couldn't really stop the Kings from gettim good 3 point looks
- Some bad defensive lapses. On a few plays the Lakers perimeter players left shooters to help Dwight stop dribble penetration. Don't do that. Dwight's got it.

The Lakers are in action again tonight taking on the Suns in Phoenix. Still no Kobe, still no Pau, but the Suns are without some players too. The Lakers need to get this win, adn then they'll get a few days off before Friday's game.

 

I think Jamison is good player, but he's unreliable, he has hot streaks and then he goes cold, like he did tonight! Bryant has no support, no one is stepping up. That should have been a win tonight. Now we just have to hope the jazz loose.
I'm glad I didn't bet tonight, because all three teams I wanted wins from couldn't produce any. Bulls, celtics, lakers

 

Yeah good thing!

The Lakers struggle on the second of back-to-backs.