On Monday night, Dwight Howard made his first return to Los Angeles to face the Clippers. While it was somewhat unexpected, the Clipper crowd booed Howard every time he touched the ball.
Considering the crosstown rivalry, it seemed to catch Howard by surprise as he only finished with 13 points and nine rebounds while committing three fouls in the first quarter.
With the Lakers playing Howard tonight for the first time since his departure, Kobe Bryant was asked about the Clippers fans booing Dwight. Of course, Bryant had a great response via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
Kobe on the Clippers fans booing Dwight: “They are (Lakers fans) undercover”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 8, 2013
With the emergence of the Clippers and their championship hopes this season, many have jumped on the bandwagon. While many will claim that they’ve been fans since the dark days of the franchise, chances are they became fans when Chris Paul and Blake Griffin arrived.
Bryant’s comments about Clippers fans confirms what most think about their fan base. While the Clippers are trying to turn this into their town, it’s clear that this will remain a Laker town.
The Clippers have a better opportunity to win a championship this season, but the history of the Lakers will always be there even if they cover the banners and retired jerseys at home games. With low expectations for the Lakers this season, the organization has the opportunity to reload next off-season.
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