However no one besides Bryant's teammates and die-hard fans appear to be taking his promise seriously.
Most analysts and pundits have already decided that any hope for the postseason for these Lakers is dead on arrival, and the common thread in numerous opinions is that the Lakers have lost far too much ground to catch up now.
Come again?
Last I checked the Lakers are 2.5 games behind the Houston Rockets for the eighth seed with 25 games left to play, which is not insurmountable by any means.
Of course the margin of error for Los Angeles is extremely tight, but counting the Lakers out of the postseason right now would be just as ridiculous as assuming that they can't make up a 2.5-game deficit over the next 25 games.
In case you haven't noticed, things have begun to look up lately for the Lakers, and Kobe's passion and drive and Howard's improving health are not the only reasons the sun is shining a little brighter on the franchise.
Bryant and Howard are indeed the main cogs in the Lakers engine, and it doesn't hurt that as Howard seems to be getting healthier Bryant is definitely feeling hungrier.
The Lakers are 3-0 since the All-Star break and the death of legendary owner Jerry Buss. In that span Bryant and Howard have both had two very impressive performances, and one subpar showing each.
Howard was spectacular in the Lakers win over the Boston Celtics and for maybe the first time this season he was able to exhibit consistent dominance on both ends of the court.
The 24 point and 12 rebounds against Boston were nice, but the athleticism and spring in Howard's legs may have been the most encouraging aspect for the Lakers going forward.
Yo...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
