Once the "Dwightmare" that was the Dwight Howard trade saga ended with the three-time Defensive Player of the Year heading to Los Angeles, expectations have never been set higher for the All-Star center.

However, not only was Howard feeling the pressure to live up to expectations but as a team expectations were through the roof after the acquired Howard and two-time MVP Steve Nash.

Dwight recently sat down with Sam Amick from USA Today, and discusses a wide array of topics. One of these topics regarded the idea of what was supposed to happen versus what has actually happened so far with the Lakers this season, in particular with his game with Nash.

Q: So I went back and looked at the Sports Illustrated cover with you and Steve (Nash) on it today for their season preview today, the one with the headline of...

A: This is gonna be fun... (laughs)

Q: Yeah, you remember. Does it make your head spin at all to think about how this was supposed to go compared to how it's actually gone?

A: It does, because we first got together and I'm thinking about how it's me and Steve Nash on the same team, and I'm looking at how he was with all these players, thinking, "This is going to be great. I'll be catching lobs all day, no-look passes, between-the-leg passes." In our minds, both of us had this fantasy of what we thought it would be like. And when the season started, with injuries and me coming back off of injury and all that stuff, it slowed down that process.

It's kind of tough. We were in a period to where it's like, "Man, nothing can go right for us. This ain't fun. This isn't what we expected." But one thing we will say, from both sides - me and him. Our routines have always been the same - in the gym, every day, lifting, shooting, making sure we eat right. And all that stuff will pay off. It didn't show up in the beginning of the season, but now we're playing a lot better because of that. I admire Steve's willingness to just work through the tough times.

Everything that could have happened happened. I would say for the most part, that Steve has been that positive guy throughout everything. He's just like, "I'm going to keep my blinders on through everything, which is good."

The Lakers have dealt with injuries all season, but fortunately have vastly improved their performance on the floor. The team seems to have finally turned the corner as they appear more confident on the floor. Relationships have improved between Dwight and Kobe and Dwight and Nash as they now hold the eighth playoff position in the Western Conference.