Lakers Rumors & News Recap: Dwight, Zen Master Exchange Text

dwighthoward2011The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off a disappointing loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night and are back under .500 once again with a record of 30-31.

With the team fresh off a loss and a few players suffering injuries or re-aggravating injuries against the Thunder, the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference  will get even tougher moving forward. The major injury concern following the loss to the Thunder was Kobe Bryant seemingly re-injuring his elbow. Kobe was tangled up with Thabo Sefolosha and began cringing in pain while favoring his right arm.

Fortunately, after a trip to the locker room with athletic trainer Gary Vitti, Kobe returned to the floor and was noticeably in pain with ulnar contusion. Kobe scored  30 points against the Thunder regardless of the injury, but the five-time NBA champion wasn’t the only one playing through pain on Tuesday.

Dwight Howard also re-aggravated an injury on Tuesday by tweaking his shoulder. Howard played through the pain and let the media know some interesting things following the loss to Oklahoma City Thunder.

Apparently, Howard has been receiving support from 11-time NBA champion and former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson. Jackson and Howard have been exchanging text messages with the Zen Master.

Jackson has experience rehabbing from back surgery and tells Howard that he’ll need a full year to recover. Of course, with Jackson texting Howard, the speculation starts to run rampant about the Zen Master’s return to the Lakers. Although that’s what everyone wants to happen with seemingly no one happy with Mike D’Antoni running the show in Los Angeles, it’s highly doubtful Jackson returns.

Lakers Nation News

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Lakers News: Kobe, Howard, World Peace Expected to Play Wednesday

Dwight Howard Has Maintained Relationship With Phil Jackson Since 2009

Lakers News: Team Remains Positive Despite Loss to OKC

Lakers’ Kobe Bryant Heads to The Locker Room With Arm Injury

Lakers Dwight Howard Receiving Supportive Text From Phil Jackson

Kobe Conditioning Story On Reddit Discusses Bryant’s Crazy Workout Routines

Lakers News: Team to Play Two Exhibition Games in China

OKC Thunder Crowd Best in The League, in Kobe’s Words And Mine

VIDEO: Kobe Bryant Appears in Nike’s Commercial in Asia

Lakers News

The Playbook: The Defining Stretch in OKC [Silver Screen & Roll]

Pau Gasol to Seek Clearance for Running Drills [Silver Screen & Roll]

Roundtable: Who Falls Out of The Playoffs [Silver Screen & Roll]

MWP: Twists Ankle, Blames ‘Harlem Shake’ [Silver Screen & Roll]

Lakers Listless in Loss [OC Register]

Bryant Puts Up Courageous Effort With Injured Elbow [OC Register]

Bryant’s Heroics Give Lakers Lift [OC Register]

Whicker: Bryant Continues to Carry Heavy Load for Lakers [OC Register]

Live Discussion: Will the Lakers Make The Playoff? [LA Times]

Dwight Howard Says He Could Have Sat Out Season Until Now [LA Times]

Lakers Traveling to China in October for Preseason [LA Times]

Dwight Howard Not Second-Guessing His Return From Surgery [LA Times]

No Need For Papal Conclave: Paul And Howard Will Be Staying in LA [LA Times]

Lakers Forward Metta World Peace: Serge Ibaka ‘Deserves A Pass’ On Blake Griffin Foul [LA Daily News]

Dwight Howard Sympathizes With Atlanta’s Josh Smith Getting ‘Posterized’ By Kobe Bryant [LA Daily News]

NBA News

Pacers’ Danny Granger To Miss A Week With Knee Soreness [Sports City]

VIDEO: Thunder Fan Hits Half-Court Shot For $20K [Sports City]

VIDEO: Thunder’s Serge Ibaka Rejects Dwight Howard’s Dunk [Sports City]

NBA Rumors: Kyle Korver Top Offseason Target For The Nuggets [Sports City]

VIDEO: Timberwolves Mock Miami Heat’s Harlem Shake [Sports City]

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