Dwight Discussion: Dwightmare on Figueroa St. Part Boo

the biggest improvement was him setting good hard screens...

i liked seeing dwight primal scream after clark had that shot blocked but went back up with a monster dunk. he was into the game tonight.

lakersyunowin wrote:i liked seeing dwight primal scream after clark had that shot blocked but went back up with a monster dunk. he was into the game tonight.

This. All we ask from him is max effort, being into the game like he wants to win. That yell he let out after Clark dunked off a great Kobe pass was awesome. He was engaged fully tonight, hard screens, rebounds, scoring off putbacks even if he didn't get the ball when he called for it, he was challenging every shot on D that he could, high-fiving teammates like he meant it, he was demonstrably upset when he missed an and one opportunity. He was into it, he wanted to win, to do well, to be a factor, that's all I want to see. Limited offensive game is what it is, free throws aren't gonna get much better, everything else is effort and attitude.

O....K..... I want to believe. Nice game!

I think his shoulder got tweaked once a bit. Saw it grabbed and he looked like he felt it some but kept after it.

Great game from Dwight - If he shows this kind of tenacity on a regular basis, I couldn't be happier to be wrong about him.

escobar8 wrote:the biggest improvement was him setting good hard screens...

This.

Weezy wrote:

lakersyunowin wrote:i liked seeing dwight primal scream after clark had that shot blocked but went back up with a monster dunk. he was into the game tonight.

This. All we ask from him is max effort, being into the game like he wants to win. That yell he let out after Clark dunked off a great Kobe pass was awesome. He was engaged fully tonight, hard screens, rebounds, scoring off putbacks even if he didn't get the ball when he called for it, he was challenging every shot on D that he could, high-fiving teammates like he meant it, he was demonstrably upset when he missed an and one opportunity. He was into it, he wanted to win, to do well, to be a factor, that's all I want to see. Limited offensive game is what it is, free throws aren't gonna get much better, everything else is effort and attitude.

Well said Weezy

This game was a good start for Dwight in earning his stripes as a Laker. One of the biggest games in a while and he turned in what was arguably his best game as a member of this team.

Maybe it was the rest he got over the All-Star break. Maybe it was realizing the culture and the meaning of this franchise after Jerry's passing. Who knows. But he brought it tonight.

He's still got a ways to go, but this was a very positive sign. He's got to keep this level of intensity up and come ready to play on both ends, starting with Friday.

good screens and rolling hard. nash hits him or hits the open j or passes to another open player who can shoot or feed dwight again who has good post position.

the effort on the screens and rolling hard was key i feel bc it opened up so much. when he doesnt its almost just a waste of time bc the d recovers and doesnt have to do much

i'll echo the screens comments. i lamented this a few weeks ago, and maybe he's finally getting it. that's huge.

the question is: why did it take 50 games to start setting screens like he already knew how? whatever, i'll take it!

Houston making a push for Josh Smith, & leaving their options open to sign him in the offseason if they can't get him cheap now. We might as well trade Dwight there now & get it over with before he walks for nothing. Asik, Parsons, filler, bunch of 1sts..

lakersin4 wrote:Houston making a push for Josh Smith, & leaving their options open to sign him in the offseason if they can't get him cheap now. We might as well trade Dwight there now & get it over with before he walks for nothing. Asik, Parsons, filler, bunch of 1sts..

They might as well wait for him in the off season

If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

How would the Rockets be able to afford Lin, Harden, Smith, AND Dwight though? Lin's contract balloons to 15 mil in 2 seasons, Smith is looking for the max, isn't Harden making max?

GoldenKnight wrote:If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

if they get Josh Smith they wont have cap to room for Howard.

Weezy wrote:How would the Rockets be able to afford Lin, Harden, Smith, AND Dwight though? Lin's contract balloons to 15 mil in 2 seasons, Smith is looking for the max, isn't Harden making max?

dont forget Asik, also same contract as Lin. and the answer is they WONT, they only have enough for 1 max or a double digit million player which is what Smith would eat up if they get him now.

khmrP wrote:

GoldenKnight wrote:If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

if they get Josh Smith they wont have cap to room for Howard.

Wouldn't they have his Bird Rights at the end of this season? If so, couldn't they technically sign Dwight first and then give Josh whatever he wants?

Great game & excellent effort from Dwight last night.

Now that you've shown it, let's see it consistently, Mr. Howard.

Lakerman JSJ wrote:

khmrP wrote:

GoldenKnight wrote:If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

if they get Josh Smith they wont have cap to room for Howard.

Wouldn't they have his Bird Rights at the end of this season? If so, couldn't they technically sign Dwight first and then give Josh whatever he wants?

no, there is a cap hold which prevents that loop hole. it essentially accounts for josh smiths salary until the team relinquishes his rights

having said that their ability to sign Dwight or not depends on who they send. but they can't do what you suggested. the cap hold is a protection against that

Lakerman JSJ wrote:

khmrP wrote:

GoldenKnight wrote:If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

if they get Josh Smith they wont have cap to room for Howard.

Wouldn't they have his Bird Rights at the end of this season? If so, couldn't they technically sign Dwight first and then give Josh whatever he wants?

yep poster above answered it, they'll have to renounce Smith bird rights and if he wants to stay he'll have to take whatever is left if Hou is able to get Howard which I assume would be very little.

last stand wrote:

Lakerman JSJ wrote:

khmrP wrote:

GoldenKnight wrote:If the Rockets SOMEHOW get Josh Smith it's goodbye Dwight

if they get Josh Smith they wont have cap to room for Howard.

Wouldn't they have his Bird Rights at the end of this season? If so, couldn't they technically sign Dwight first and then give Josh whatever he wants?

no, there is a cap hold which prevents that loop hole. it essentially accounts for josh smiths salary until the team relinquishes his rights

having said that their ability to sign Dwight or not depends on who they send. but they can't do what you suggested. the cap hold is a protection against that

Interesting. Thanks for the info. This new CBA is complex.

Yeah let's all HOPE they go after Smith.

Their idea I think would be to hope Dwight demands a trade at that point. They'd hold out hope that they've got Harden/Smith and that'd be enough for Dwight to demand a trade. The Rockets would then give us Lin/Asik/Parsons or something.

jsj: that was part of the old cba, too, i believe.

rockets won't go after smith or anyone else, imo. their trade yesterday tells me that they're playing for next year. they'll try to make the playoffs, but they're trying to get dwight in FA. failing that, they can go get smith, millsap or whomever without giving up any of their players or other assets. i agree with this strategy, too.

if they don't get howard, i don't think any other FA pickup will make them appreciably better than they are. so they're keeping their eye on the big fish.

Good effort and energy from Dwight last night. Let's see if he can keep it up.