And as happy as he is, he tried to make everyone else feel the same way in Staples. The Lakers have been plagued by a lack of energy, but Howard found a way to get everyone going.
"I loved it," said Howard, who hit one of his next two. "I'm just happy I didn't airball one."
As good an afternoon as it was for everyone, including Jodie Meeks — and who knew he still played for the Lakers? — D'Antoni remained cautious.
"Couldn't you seem a little more excited?" I said, a little surprised D'Antoni sounded like someone watching the Pro Bowl rather than someone who had just recorded his biggest Lakers win to date.
"Not yet," D'Antoni said. "I'm happy about how we're playing right now, but we have a big road trip coming and that will be the telling tale. If we can continue with this energy and this type of playing, then yeah, I will be real excited."
The Lakers have New Orleans here Tuesday, which should be an easy win, and then play very beatable teams in Phoenix, Minnesota and Detroit.
I'm not sure I have ever seen D'Antoni excited, so I'm going with the Lakers for part of their Grammy trip.
The Lakers could be leaving Detroit next Sunday on a six-game winning streak, within two games of .500 and maybe D'Antoni showing signs of life.
I wouldn't want to miss that.
"Time to hit that button," said Kobe, who has found renewed hope in the team's play the last two games after calling for changes. "I think we've found our identity."
Kobe went eight for 12, which sounds like the first half, and never attempted a three-pointer.
I worry now I might find myself in the coming games urging Kobe to shoot more. Never saw that coming.
But many of the players pointed to their gabfest in Memphis, leading to Sunday's locker-room love fest after knocking off the team with the best record in the league.
"It was a great talk," Howard said, a number of players echoing his remarks and pointing to Kobe's unselfish lead in changing the Lakers' style of play.
"We understand now we can't play as individuals," Howard said. "We have to play as a team if we're going to win."
You have to hand it to Gush City; the players met as a group and came up with that all by themselves.
Bring on those Pelicans.
t.j.simers@latimes.com
twitter.com/latimestjsimers
