Dwight Howard Embracing Life as L.A. Laker Without Kobe Bryant

Strike that, Howard isn’t going to panic without Kobe in the lineup. Which he shouldn’t.

When Bryant suffered a sprained ankle in the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks, many were anxious over how the team would fare without their leading scorer and second-leading assist man, and rightfully so. The Lakers had struggled all season to climb above .500 and inch their way into the playoff picture, and that was with Kobe. Hollywood’s faithful wouldn’t want to imagine what life would have been like without him.

It’s a scary notion to consider where the current Lakers would be without Bryant right now. But we can’t forget that Howard is no stranger to carrying a team. He led a mediocre Orlando Magic squad all the way through to the NBA Finals. At full strength, he’s capable of being a pillar Los Angeles can rely on, even if only temporarily.

Howard will be the first one to tell you that much (via Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com):

“In Orlando, I was the guy that everything went through,” Howard said following shootaround as the Lakers prepped for their game against the Sacramento Kings. “I know that position. That’s why we all play. We play and I play because I want to put the team on my back and carry those guys to the Finals. That’s always been my goal, and I love having that on my back. Being able to just lead these guys — that’s what I want to accomplish, and I just want these guys to have total trust in me. The franchise has trust in me, and it’s the same thing with the coaches and the players. When I show those guys I can go down there and score, make the right play, then they’re going to trust me. So, that’s how I see it, and it’s going to happen. We just got to be patient.”

That “trust” Howard references to has been but a theory. At the prospect of him fleeing during free agency, it was hard for anyone–even the Lakers, who refused to trade him—to trust him. Not in his ability to put the team on is back, but in his willingness to.

With Kobe on the sidelines, Howard has been ready and willing.

 
Though Bryant attempted to play Friday night against the Indiana Pacers, he left after the first quarter. The Lakers have essentially played two games without him, in which they are 2-0. Sure, the latter of which came against the Sacramento Kings, a franchise in disarray, but down two of their best players, Los Angeles could have folded.

But it didn’t. Steve Nash didn’t, Steve Blake didn’t and Antawn Jamison didn’t. And Howard didn’t.

The big man appears to be embracing life outside the confines of Kobe’s shadow. Not in the sense that he doesn’t want to play alongside Bryant. If he wants to win, he wants to play alongside Bryant, especially now. He’s embracing the temporary life without Kobe, though. The one that allows him to prove his mettle to the league again and show the City of Angels what they traded for—the inevitable face of their franchise.

In other words, Howard reveling in life sans Kobe now, is better for his life with the Black Mamba upon his return. It also bodes extremely well for the postseason-bound Lakers of today.

As well as tomorrow.