Dwight Howard said his return to Orlando for the first times since being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers would be “emotional,” to which teammate Kobe Bryant said, “I’ll talk to him. He just needs to go back there and bust their (butts).”
Howard took Bryant’s advice Tuesday night, scoring a season-high 39 points to go with 16 rebounds and 3 blocks in the Lakers’ 106-97 victory that extended their winning streak to four.
Faced with boos and hisses by hostile fans that once adored him, Howard detonated coach Jacque Vaughn’s “Hack-a-Howard” strategy of sending him to the free-throw line by intentionally fouling him. The notoriously poor shooter from the line, Howard was sent to the line 39 times. He made 16 of 20 free throws in the second half, a splendid effort, especially considering the circumstance.
“I wasn’t nervous,” Howard said. “I was looking forward to playing here. It was a hostile environment, but I think that was something that was good for me. For my progress as a player, I think I needed that.”
It was a boost for Howard’s teammates, who have watched him much of the season perform at a level not befitting his status as the league’s top center.
“I think professionally it was really big for him,” Bryant said. “Coming into this environment, playing as well as he did, it’s big for his confidence.”
Fans were eager to express their disenchantment with Howard’s departure after eight years in Orlando. He flip-flopped on his feelings about staying with the Magic, so much so that he turned off much of the team’s fans. By the time Tuesday arrived, animosity toward Howard was combustible.
Many fans carried insulting signs. Two read: “Kobe’s Kid” and “Coward.” And those were the nice ones.
“I think it was something I needed, to come back and I think it was something that the city needed, too,” he said. “It’s closure. We can all move on. We had eight great years. People are going to feel the way they feel. I totally understand that.”
Howard’s return could have been a true embarrassment, had he been abysmal at the foul line. Vaughn sent him there enough for him to tie his NBA record of 39 attempts. He made 24, which was big in Los Angeles controlling the game.Bryant scored only 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting, had eight assists and seven rebounds. It was Howard’s night, and the Lakers hope it is the effort that propels him to a strong end to the regular season.
