In Nick Young, Kobe Finds Partnership He Failed to Develop with Dwight Howard

HOUSTON — Even on a night when Kobe Bryant was as nice as could be toward Dwight Howard, the reasons why their partnership didn't flower were prevalent.

Bryant, who has some experience in the burning spotlight that being accused brings, might have felt a little sympathy in light of the controversy enveloping Howard with Georgia police investigating allegations Howard abused his son. He was probably appreciative that Howard surprisingly sat out the Lakers' 98-92 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night.

In any case, Bryant tried to take some heat off Howard, backing off the "You're soft, you m----------r" in-game commentary he offered three weeks ago. 

When asked about those Oct. 28 words upon absorbing Howard's elbow, Bryant said: "Heat of the moment. You guys have all been in arguments. You guys who are married, you guys know how that goes. You argue; sometimes you say things that you want to take back, that you don't really mean. But it's in the heat of confrontation, and sometimes things come out."

Bryant also did not pile on after Kevin Durant told Howard repeatedly, "You're a p----y," in their on-court argument Sunday night.

"No, I don't feel that way. And I don't think Kevin does either," Bryant said. "In moments of confrontation during a game, you'll say things.

"I know Dwight. I'm sure Kevin does. We don't really feel that way about him. It's like when you get in an argument with somebody, you'll say things out of frustration and out of anger that you don't really mean."

So how was it that the Lakers' 98-92 victory over the Rockets was a statement on Howard?

It wasn't that Howard didn't play—even after being in uniform, according to the Houston Chronicle, and seemingly ready to go—because of a right knee strain.

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It was that Nick Young did play.

Bryant and Young might never win a championship together either, but their relationship of one-plus years already works as a testimonial for how a big-grinning, fun-loving goofball can be a teammate Bryant adores.

Bryant sought out Young in particular for an extra high-five and hug before leaving the court Wednesday night. Before that, Young had already chest-bumped every other member of the Lakers organization he could find, his head held noticeably high.

"I'm very happy to have him back," Bryant said.

The Lakers were 1-9 without Young, who tore a ligament in his right thumb trying to steal the ball from Bryant in practice (and good-naturedly absorbed Bryant's ribbing that he shouldn't have been reaching on defense or challenging a body that Bryant told him is "made of steel").

With Young, the Lakers are 2-0.

"I leave a presence," Young said. "I'm like Michael Jackson, Prince, all those other guys."

The really funny thing is that there is truth to the swag.   

The whole Swaggy P creation only works if people enjoy being around the persona. And they really do.

Young came out for pregame shooting Wednesday night at Toyota Center, and besides the assembled Lakers fans who all cheered, assistant coaches J.J. Outlaw and Thomas Scott rushed over with smiles, truly giddy to see Young back out there for his second game of the season.

When talking pregame about Young, Byron Scott was asked about his shooting contests with Young and the Lakers head coach flaunted some of his own swag, quipping: "Hasn't been a contest yet." Jordan Hill's postgame interview with Time Warner Cable SportsNet's Mike Trudell morphed into a chirpy duet with Young, as so often happens with events around Young becoming inclusive in an organic way.

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press/Associated Press

Young's ability to laugh at himself is one of the keys to it. His unabashed pride at being a Laker is another.

But Bryant shared the crux of it for him in a statement before the season:

"He understands in order to be Swaggy P and for people to pay attention to Swaggy P, he's got to put that work in on the court," Bryant said, "or no one's going to give a s--t."

Despite being just a half-year older than Howard, whose mechanical post moves and poor free-throw shooting have remained stunted, Young has showed he cares about growing his game—something Bryant fundamentally respects.

When Bryant, who admits copying everything he can, was asked by B/R if he has ever stolen one of Young's moves, he laughed and said no—but then pointed out that Young has stolen all of Bryant's.

Bryant didn't mean it in his often self-aggrandizing way; it was a real tribute to how Young, urged by Bryant to study more video last season, has economized his game.

"We worked on that stuff a lot last year, worked on it a lot over the summer," Bryant said. "It has been a big change in his game. In the past, he used handle the ball a lot, dribbling five or six times. Now you see him catching, one dribble, pull-up shot. Two dribbles, pull-up shot."

Bryant was clear about his goal for Young and his streamlined game this season.

Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

"Have him be Sixth Man of the Year," Bryant said.

Young's defense has also improved, and he hustled on close-outs better than Bryant repeatedly Wednesday night. It's to the point where Young's mistakes are the clear exception, not the rule: Scott came up with just "one time" when Young got caught not helping on defense against the Rockets.

Young also came back early from this injury, his first surgery ever, and beat his medical timetable—a longtime Bryant hallmark. Projected out eight weeks with a complete tear of his radial collateral ligament, Young returned in six and is playing with the thumb still wrapped.

They make for an odd couple, Bryant and Young. They have so many reasons not to want to play together considering the similarities in their shot-happy games.

Yet here they are.

It just goes to show that even to someone who loves to shoot, there are things more important than shots.

And to someone such as Bryant, whether you're soft or swaggy in the stuff you enjoy doing, you'd better find time to be serious about the effort you put into your craft.

Kevin Ding is an NBA senior writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @KevinDing.