Dwight Howard Warns That Lakers Could Play ‘Ugly’ Ball to Start the Season


The Los Angeles Lakers may be reloaded, but they still haven’t quite put things together. And according to center Dwight Howard, the team’s preseason struggles could continue once games that actually count begin. Per the OC Register: “I know everybody wants it right now, right now,’ Howard said. ‘But we want to win in June, that’s what counts.’ Some of the anxiety stems from the Lakers’ 0-8 exhibition record combined with the high number of turnovers that have marked each game. Another worrisome factor is that the starting five have played one exhibition game together; a foot injury to Kobe Bryant and Howard’s recovery from spinal surgery slowing the process. ‘We don’t expect to win every game and be 82-0,’ Howard said. ‘But we do expect, say by midseason, that everybody will have the offense down pat and we’ll be flowing.’ […] Mike Brown has taken his usual what-me worry approach to the start of the season. He said Sunday that he thought the Lakers were right where he figured on picking up the new elements in the offense, maybe even a little ahead. ‘Having said that, in the whole scheme of things, we’re a little behind — from the standpoint that it’s not looking pretty yet,’ Brown said. ‘But it’s OK because I expected it. We’re throwing a lot at them, but I like how they have picked up on the stuff so far.’ Howard warned that the early going could be rough. ‘It might look ugly at times out there, we’re going to turn the ball over a lot,’ he said. ‘But all that stuff will come.’”