Dwight Howard frustrated by ‘stupid’ question about Kobe Bryant

Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard struck a defiant tone after the game when he was asked about the altercation between him and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, saying the question about the situation was “stupid.”

After being asked if he deserved a technical foul for throwing an elbow at Bryant, who was also given a technical foul on the play, Howard grew upset at the question from a reporter.

“What do y’all want me to say?” Howard said late Tuesday night. “I’m not going to give y’all nothing. That’s stupid.”

The incident started when Howard grabbed a rebound, came down and had Bryant in his face.

Howard swung his elbows, his left one connecting with Bryant’s jaw.

Bryant and Howard stood face-to-face and started trash-talking.

Howard and Bryant were called for technical fouls with 7:07 left in the game.

Howard also was called for a flagrant one foul and Bryant was called for a personal foul.

After Howard made both of his free throws and Bryant made one of two free throws, both players took a seat on the bench with the Rockets leading, 101-75.

“We won the game. It’s over with,” said a surly Howard. “There’s no need to go in to it. We won the game. It’s about basketball. I mean, it’s over with. It’s nothing. I’m not even focused on it.”

Bryant and Howard had been teammates for the 2012-13 season, the two not seeing eye-to-eye on the right approach to the game.

Howard joined the Rockets during the summer of 2013, leaving Bryant and the Lakers behind.

Lakers fans booed Howard throughout the game and called him unprintable names.

“People are always going to talk,” Howard said. “I had a good time in L.A. It didn’t end like everybody wanted it to. But life happens. Things happen. I’ve moved forward from it. And hopefully the fans and everybody else can and focus on their team.”

Twitter: @BA_Turner