If I were Dwight I would be offended by the billboards. Dwight is thought to be particularly sensitive to public sentiment, and what the Lakers are trying to do here is to play on that sensitivity and make him feel like he will be "the bad guy" if he leaves. It's an embarrassing pitch. Instead of saying "Well, Dwight, CP3 got the coach he wanted and we'll give you the coach you want, too" or things like that, the Lakers pitch is "Hey sensitive guy, you want to be hated like last year? Go ahead and leave." Pathetic. If this is how the new-look Lakers are going to run things, I would be running to the door to leave. This is childish and actually mean-spirited. They're not respecting Dwight at all here.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Here's a new one: Clippers outbid Lakers so far in $ that it was an easy decision for Alvin Gentry to join Doc Rivers over D'Antoni.</p>— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDing/statuses/350010584093302785">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> This can't hurt our chances. Everyone is choosing the other team at Staples.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I would guess that the Dwight billboards fall under the Jeanie side of the Lakers ops vs. the Jim basketball side</p>— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricPincus/statuses/350061459197263872">June 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>On Dwight- source reiterated that the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets&src=hash">#Rockets</a> still are the team that makes the most sense & people should be optimistic.Still business tho</p>— David Nuno (@DavidNunoABC13) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidNunoABC13/statuses/350069640912842753">June 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Rockets need to take advantage of the Laker's billboard blunder with a counter. I think a simple billboard with Dwight in a Rocket uniform in the front and faces of the Rocket's team in the background with one word... WIN. Put up on the side of the Toyota Center. There are some fantastic artists on this forum... can you do it?!
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Don't underestimate Lakers buying billboard with Dwight Howard's picture under word STAY. Needs LA's love. <a href="http://t.co/0doSdMgIfj">http://t.co/0doSdMgIfj</a></p>— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicInsider/statuses/350227176454504448">June 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>One of Dwight Howard's complaints in Orlando was no (or few) billboards of him around town. It mattered.</p>— Brian K. Schmitz (@MagicInsider) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicInsider/statuses/350227625278570497">June 27, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Rockets can forget about Chris Paul but Harden/Howard/Parsons would be the NBA's best trio.</p>— chris palmer (@ESPNChrisPalmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNChrisPalmer/statuses/350006014046777346">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I like the versatility of the hypothetical Houston trio better. Each work three different spots on the floor.</p>— chris palmer (@ESPNChrisPalmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNChrisPalmer/statuses/350008168547487744">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Parsons is on the rise. Bosh has plateaued. Howard isn't coming off back surgery this time.</p>— chris palmer (@ESPNChrisPalmer) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNChrisPalmer/statuses/350009206784528385">June 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
Can any photoshop pros hop on this idea? Seeing as we can't exactly put Howard's face on a billboard, otherwise that'd be tampering, we could put up our four main players, and have them in superhero-esque costumes (Harden = Batman, Parsons = Flash, Asik = Lantern, Lin = Aquaman) and have an open spot in the middle. "To Finish the League, We Need a Superman" Cheesy, but I think it'd be a clever way to get the point across.
I have a billboard showing Harden, Parsons, Asik, and/or Lin pointing to the sky at a Superman looking figure. Lin - "What is That!!??"... Harden- its a bird!! Asik- No, its a plane!! Parsons - No,.. its... Superman!!!!!!
Already did that yesterday and tweeted to DH today. Here it is. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/83559544@N00/9145280763/" title="#HOUFTWIN by mollamar, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3815/9145280763_57968f6dc1_c.jpg" width="800" height="427" alt="#HOUFTWIN"></a>
My little easter egg was signing the picture over the doorway. By the way, the DH in Rockets uniform I used was from this page: http://ocityhoops.com/gpage.html
Hopefully those tweets make their way to Dwight. He may have not considered the bit about them working different parts of the floor.
Coming this summer to a Toyota Center near you... The Houston Rockets present: The Justice League of the NBA Featuring! Jeremy Lin as The Green Lantern Chandler Parsons as Wonder Woman Dwight Howard as Superman James Harden as Batman Patrick Beverly as The Flash Omer Asik as Aquaman The Only Thing Missing is Dwight
