Dwight Howard hints at payback over elbow to mouth from Warriors' David Lee
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors' David Lee should keep an eye out for Dwight Howard during the next meeting against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 12.
After the Lakers' 109-103 loss at Golden State on Monday night, Howard said that Lee will face retaliation in the future for elbowing him in the mouth during the second quarter. Howard ended up with a bruised lip, a bloody mouth, a personal foul and eventually three stitches. He also received a technical foul for mouthing off to Lee after the play.
"He got away with a shot," Howard said. "I will remember this game. I will remember that shot. He said he wasn't trying to do it. You can look at the play and see it for yourself. I will take care of it later."
Howard said he didn't retaliate in the second half because that would have led to a potential second technical and ejection. Lee later told Howard that the play was unintentional.
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"I was just trying to go up and finish against a shot block," Lee said.
The Lakers (36-35) also felt pain with their third straight loss that caused them to lose ground for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Lakers, currently in the eighth spot, have three teams on their heels as the Utah Jazz (35-36) are a game behind, the Dallas Mavericks (34-36) trail by 1 1/2 and the Portland Trail Blazers (33-37) are 2 1/2 out.
Kobe Bryant showed no concern.
"I've been relaxed all year," Bryant told Yahoo! Sports. "I was relaxed when we were five games out telling everybody we are going to be all right. So now we are ahead in the eighth spot and we're supposed to panic?"
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