Everyone on the Lakers seem to agree that Dwight Howard needs more touches, from Mark Medina of Daily News: “Over the last couple of games, we have yet to get Dwight in the pick and roll action and get him some touches and easy opportunities,” Lakers forward Antawn Jamison said. “Instead, we’re posting him and trying to get him to go one on one all the time.”… “They’re encouraging Howard to work more on his mid-range game in hopes that improves his versatility, floor spacing and free-throw shooting. A few days ago, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni suggested the Lakers need to move the ball more because Howard’s always open. Howard has deflected comments about his offensive role by stressing he’ll set better screens and maintain his defensive focus. Even when informed about Bryant’s vow that he will receive more touches, Howard hardly sounded interest in the talk. He suggested it’s better if the Lakers let their actions speak for themselves. “If we lose, everything is magnified. We just have to play the game the right way and do what we did from the start to get some wins and go from there.”
Kobe Bryant explained what he believes the team has to do: “He’s playing phenomomal,” Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said. “We have to figure out a way to get him some more looks down low.” Bryant offered a few reasons why that didn’t happen against Golden State. “I tried to step back as much as I possibly could to allow that to develop,” he said. ” But with foul trouble and all of a sudden it’s a 19 point game. You can’t sit around much longer. But we have to figure that balance out. You put him in a tough position because you just dump the ball off to him and now you have four guys breathing down his neck. We have to run some things and get him on the move a little bit and make his life a little easier.”
D’Antoni explained why Howard has not been getting touches and what needs to happen for that to change, from Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles: “”We didn’t run any pick-and-rolls, which is part of it, which we should. A lot of it is when he does get it, they foul him, so you don’t count that. We try to go to him.” So, what will change? “The ball needs to move more and if it moves more, he’ll get his touches. I just don’t think we can just go straight down and iso him in the post, like anybody. I just don’t think that’s good basketball and we haven’t been doing that. We need to move the ball better in the fourth quarter. We need to run a little bit more. Not just run, but have a rhythm to our game and we don’t have that yet.”
John Wall discussed the progression of his jump shot, from Michael Lee of Washington Post: “If I shot it, I shot like I was a lights out shooter, fadeaway, no follow through,” Wall said, shaking his head, as he discussed his career-high 47-point game on Monday in the Wizards’ 107-94 win over the Memphis Grizzlies… “Main thing for me is using speed and shooting on the way up,” Wall said. “I used to shoot on the way down and if you want to become a better shooter, it doesn’t work that way.” Before developing a workout program for Wall, McClanaghan watched film of the former No. 1 overall pick and noticed how teams would roll under screens and back off, daring him to take a jump shot. “And with John, you probably should, because make or miss, it doesn’t matter, he wasn’t shooting it,” McClanaghan said in a telephone interview. “But he could blow by you.”
Dwyane Wade says guys that came out of suburbs don’t get as much attention, from Shandel Richardson of Sun-Sentinel: “Wade has won NBA titles, played in All-Star games, collected Olympic medals and currently is part of one of the greatest winning streaks in history. Still, at times he is an afterthought in the basketball annals in his hometown. Only now is he on the verge of giving the local folks no choice but to accept him as perhaps the greatest player from the city, despite his late-bloom to professional stardom. Even more so, Wade could deliver a minor sting by earning the distinction after playing his high school ball in the suburbs instead of the city. “It’s always been a knock on guys who played in the suburbs,” said Wade, who played at Richards High in Oak Lawn, Ill., about 25 minutes outside the city. “You didn’t get as much attention because they think it’s not as tough or whatever the case may be. I think I represent the city. Guys are proud of that, but it’s something different between guys that go to school in the city and the suburbs.”
Amare Stoudemire hopes to make it back in time for the playoffs, from Matt Moore of CBSSports: “On Rome with Jim Rome, Amar’e Stoudemire talked about having arthorscopic surgery on his right knee and whether he’ll be able to return for the playoffs. “At this point, after all I’ve been through and everything, I have persevered [through],” Stoudemire said, “it’s something I think I can do. But I’m shooting for it.” Stoudemire had surgery earlier in March. The recovery time was estimated at six weeks, which would put Stoudemire back on the court in mid-April. He missed the first 30 games of the season after the same surgery was performed on his left knee. The Knicks need Stoudemire back badly for the playoffs. Despite their success without him early in the season, he provides a post presence, something they need in battles with Chicago, Indiana and Miami. He has defensive issues, but he has shown some improvement.”
Marc Gasol was talking about trying to return before the playoffs, but came back on Wednesday night instead. Here’s what he said prior to his return, from Ronald Tillery of Commercial Appeal: “The Grizzlies have not discussed shutting down Marc Gasol for the rest of the regular season due to his abdominal tear. However, any conversation along those lines would be a waste of time because the 7-foot, versatile center won’t allow it. “No, no, no,” Gasol said. “We’re going to try to keep (treating it) and when it feels good and gets better, I’ll get out there. I don’t care if it hurts a little bit. I have no problem with that. We’re going with indefinite. But it’s going to go game-by-game, day-by-day.”
Mike D’Antoni was asked if Kevin Love can carry a team. Here is his answer, from Dave McMenamin: “He has his system he’ll play within, but every night he’s going to be 20 (points) and 15 (rebounds),” D’Antoni said after shootaround Wednesday before the Lakers played the Minnesota Timberwolves who will be without Love. “So, yeah. He’s carrying a lot of people.” But, is Love the type of player who can create his own shot? “He can get his own shot, but in a sense, I don’t even know why he would want to,” D’Antoni said. “I think we put too much stock in that, other people do. He’ll play within an offense where he’s unbelievable on the boards, where he can shoot 3s, where he can post up, where he is a ball mover. He just knows how to play and when you put guys around him like (Ricky) Rubio and you got (Chase) Budinger back now, then yeah, he’s effective as heck.”
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