Kobe Bryant Says He’s Not Pushing Dwight Howard To Play

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Here we go…

Either the end of the NFL season has finally forced the rest of the sports world to focus more on hoops or the Lake Show just has impeccable timing when it comes to dialing up the drama. Both assumptions are true as there is no way to script Pau Gasol’s bum wheel. However the mini Kobe Bryant–Dwight Howard feud that might not be but may be apparently isn’t if you believe Bryant.

I’ll try and explain.

Yesterday ESPN’s Jackie MacMullen penned a piece in which she quoted Kobe who it would appear was trying to encourage t Howard to suck it up and play through the pain. Howard then responded by dismissing the notion claiming Kobe “isn’t a doctor”. Now Bryant has told the L.A. Times he in no way was inferring that D12 should suck it up and soldier on.

So was Kobe misquoted? Is this more media manipulation of the annual installment of Lakers’ drama? Does any of this really matter when you’re talking about a team three games under .500 and out of the playoff picture in February?

Too many questions and not enough answers and far too much time until the Lakers tip tonight in Boston for all of this to be happening now. What we all need is to just refocus on the game itself. All the he said she said in the press is contrived.

Kobe is 100% pushing Howard to play. Not necessarily at the expense of his health but for the sake of the team. That is undeniable because that’s what Bryant does. He’s driven and like all the other greats he demands greatness of others. Even if Howard were healthy you’d still expect Kobe to ride him like Harley on the set of Sons Of Anarchy. That’s’ what he does.

However if Kobe takes offense someone would dare to question Howard’s health then that’s something he should consider before he speaks of D12 again.