Standing around most of Tuesday night instead of going hard after their goals, the Lakers backed up all their preseason preaching that it’ll take time for them to become the super team everyone expects with Dwight Howard and Steve Nash joining Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.

The more energetic Dallas Mavericks took it to the Lakers on Opening Night 2012 at Staples Center, scoring a 99-91 victory behind Darren Collison’s 17 points. Collison’s point-guard counterpart, Nash, looked tentative in the new equal-opportunity offense, and Howard shot a demoralizing 3 for 14 on free throws.

“We’re thinking too much instead of just playing,” Nash said.

“We’re going to have to defend with multiple efforts until our offense catches up to our defense,” Brown said.

via Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register