Dwight Howard Quotes Kobe: 'Job Is Not Finished' After Game 4 Win vs. Nuggets

The Los Angeles Lakers haven't been shy about channeling their Mamba Mentality this postseason as they try to win the franchise's first title since 2010. So it makes sense players would adopt one of the late Kobe Bryant's best quips as they continue to surge through the Western Conference Finals.

Asked about the mentality of the team following Thursday's Game 4 win against the Denver Nuggets, which gave Los Angeles a 3-1 series lead, center Dwight Howard echoed Bryant's past comments.

"Simple," Howard said Friday. "The job is not finished."

Bryant made a similar statement during the 2009 NBA Finals with the Lakers up 2-0 over Howard's Orlando Magic.

"What's there to be happy about?" Bryant said. "The job's not finished. Is the job finished? I don't think so."

The center hasn't forgotten that tenacity and made sure his teammates don't, either.

The Lakers defeated the Magic in five games in the 2009 Finals to win the first of back-to-back titles.

In Game 3—the contest after Bryant's famous words—Orlando stole a victory. That series marks Howard's only Finals appearance.

The big man started Thursday over JaVale McGee and racked up 12 points and 11 rebounds—his first postseason double-double since 2017.

Evoking Bryant has been a theme throughout the postseason for L.A.

The Lakers routinely wear their Mamba jerseys in tribute to Bryant, and forward Anthony Davis said the club feels an added sense of urgency to win whenever they have them on. It did just that Sunday, when Davis nailed a buzzer-beating three to claim Game 2.

Of course, as soon as the ball went through the hoop, Davis mouthed "Kobe."

The Lakers will continue channeling Bryant's attitude until the job is done.