The struggles of Dwight Howard and the Lakers don’t have anything to do with coaching changes, disagreements with Kobe Bryant, or injuries, but they have everything to do with candy.
Obviously.
According to ESPN.com, Howard revealed in an interview that his poor conditioning and inconsistent energy may have been the cause of some of the Lakers’ losses this season.
“You’ve got to have energy and I want to bring that energy every night,” Howard said Saturday afternoon. “That’s my job. They count on me to be that guy. I just know how much more effective I will be when I’m in better shape. And, unfortunately, it’s cost us a lot of games.”
Howard doesn’t believe he’s in the shape he was in before undergoing back surgery last spring, but extra rest over the All-Star break and a new diet he started is helping him get there.
“I’m just making sure I don’t eat as much candy and sugar so I can get in good shape,” he said. “Back when I was able to play 48 minutes, I could eat anything. But now I can’t.
“Am I a big candy person? That’s an understatement,” he joked. “My pantry is full of candy. Skittles just sent me 30 pounds of Skittles. I have a nightstand full of every candy you could think of. Skittles, Blow Pops, Laffy Taffy, Reese’s Pieces, Kit Kats, all types of candy was in the drawer. They had to clear it out.”
We’ll see if the diet change helps turn the Lakers’ season around, but removing 30 pounds of Skittles from anyone’s diet is bound to improve their game.
