Words of wisdom from Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony

Nice to see you too

Lakers center Dwight Howard, on the return of teammate Pau Gasol on Tuesday against Charlotte after an eight-game absence: “I’m just happy he’s back and hopefully the rest of the old guys will be back soon.�

It’s crowded in here

Ejected New York forward Carmelo Anthony, on seeing Knicks Coach Mike Woodson and center Tyson Chandler in the locker room with him before the end of his team’s loss to Chicago on Friday: “I was actually in here, and then I just heard the crowd screaming and yelling, and I walked to the hallway, and Woody was walking back. Then I was actually in the shower, came back and Tyson was sitting right next to me. So once I saw that, that’s how the night was going.�

He didn’t mean it

New Orleans Coach Monty Williams, asking Hornets fans to forgive Eric Gordon over the shooting guard’s comments that his heart was in Phoenix when he signed an offer sheet with the Suns last summer: “Our city has been a city of second chances. This situation should be the same way. Eric said some things. But if you polled most of the people in our city about the things they said at 23, I’m sure they had some regrets. We want our city to embrace him because that’s who we are.�

Like Santa, only taller

Golden State Coach Mark Jackson on David Lee, who had a triple-double Friday: “You can pencil in 20 and 10, and then sprinkle in some other stuff around the tree.�

—Ben Bolch