Basketball

Dwight Howard, the Lakers and the recasting of an antihero


LOS ANGELES — He flexed and preened. He implored the crowd to make some noise. And the crowd did as he asked. He jumped for joy — yes, joy — when a teammate sprinted downcourt for a breakaway dunk. This was Dwight Howard on the Staples Center hardwood, starring at center for the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Lakers fans were loving it. Loving him.

In 2019.

What in the name of Kobe Bryant is going on here?

“I’m grateful,” Howard said. He laughed as he added, “I think myself and the fans have been through a lot together.”

It’s hard to rationalize that the fractious superstar who left the Lakers after one season in 2013 could return half a dozen years later and establish himself as a glue guy, coming up big in back-to-back victories early in the season.

In the Lakers’ 120-101 win Sunday over the Charlotte Hornets, one of Howard’s five former teams, he blocked four shots while adding 16 points and 10 rebounds. He…





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