Dwight Howard seems tired of talking about the Lakers

HOUSTON -- Dwight Howard still thinks about his time with the Lakers.

“Every day, every day,” he said Thursday.

He was joking.

Howard seems tired of talking about his rocky 11-month relationship with the Lakers, a headline again because they play his new team Thursday in Houston.

He says he’s enjoying everything associated with the Rockets.

“Everybody’s been great,” he said. “I really appreciate my time here so far. The fans have been great, the organization has been amazing, my teammates have been unbelievable. I’m having a great time.”

Howard found several different ways to say Thursday’s game would be no different from any other.

“Our team is on a mission so we can’t concern ourselves with one game,” he said. “We’re trying to accomplish something big.”

Howard hadn’t entirely turned his back on the Lakers. He was seen talking to members of their training staff after the Rockets finished their shoot-around Thursday morning. The Lakers followed the Rockets with a shoot-around of their own on the same court at Toyota Center.

The Lakers will start Chris Kaman instead of Shawne Williams to beef up their lineup. They also might employ the Hack-a-Shaq to make him shoot free throws.

“That’s always a possibility,” said Lakers Coach Mike D’Antoni, who criticized the concept while coaching Howard last season.

Howard has looked better this season, D’Antoni said.

“He looks really good. He’s playing with a lot of energy. You can see he’s healthy and he’s running and doing what made him a great player,” D’Antoni said.

The Lakers seemed ready to end all the talk about Howard’s one-season tenure with them.

“It’s over,” guard Steve Nash said. “I’ve got my own problems. I’m trying to get myself out there on the court.”

Nash has been battling back, neck and ankle soreness since training camp. He is not expected to play Friday against New Orleans because it is the second game of a back-to-back situation.

Howard signed a four-year, $88-million contract with Houston instead of a five-year, $118-million deal with the Lakers.

He also met with Dallas, Atlanta and Golden State last July.

Howard endured a slow start last year after undergoing back surgery a few months before joining the Lakers. He also sustained a torn labrum in his right shoulder in January.

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