Dwight Howard: Playing injured for Lakers 'meant nothing to people'

It's been a rough month for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Not only are they on the verge of matching the longest losing streak in team history, but the Lakers also lost Friday to the Charlotte Hornets and Dwight Howard, who's despised by the fan base, as evidenced by the boos he receives each time he sets foot in Staples Center.

Howard was jeered yet again on this night, but he got the last laugh with Charlotte's 108-94 win. Afterward, the big man - who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds - knocked Lakers fans for how they treated him during the disastrous 2012-13 campaign, his lone season in L.A.

"I thought I played very well despite coming off of back surgery and also tearing a labrum, which I guess means nothing to people," Howard said of his time with the Lakers, according to Matthew Moreno of Lakers Nation.

The Lakers were expected to win a title after dealing for Howard and signing Steve Nash in the summer of 2012, but they fell woefully short of expectations. Kobe Bryant dragged an otherwise lifeless team to the playoffs, where Los Angeles was promptly swept in the first round.

Howard made for an easy scapegoat. Not only did he butt heads with Bryant and the coaching staff, but he also missed time with injuries and was a shell of the MVP-level player from his days with the Orlando Magic. Fans quickly soured on him, and were largely happy to see him leave in free agency.

"I don’t think about it. At some point they get over it," Howard said of Lakers fans.