2014 NBA Top 20: #11 Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard

Nobody is coming into the 2013-14 NBA season carrying a bigger baggage than Superman. Maybe the baggage isn’t quite like what LeBron carried in the year of “The decision”, but it is baggage big enough to bother the broad-shouldered enigmatic big-man from Atlanta. Now it is the real test of how much does he stand true to his self-ordained image.

His doubters couldn’t be any greater and the doubts couldn’t get any more harrowing. The ever-pleasing funny man in the NBA has maybe his last and best shot at proving to the fans and the basketball fraternity, that he truly has the attitude and the metal toughness to rise above such negative tirades, and prove himself to be much more than what the likes of Kareem and Shaq give him credit for.

Many have questioned his procrastinating attitude, and harped against his desire to change and shuffle almost every institution around him and shape franchises to suit his fads and fantasies. Dwightamare version 1.0 was a tiring and disdainful tirade to say the least and version 2.0 was thankfully far easier a transition.

However, to do it to Orlando is one thing and a whole different thing to do it to Los Angeles and the Lakers. Add to the mix the desperate D12 stay banners and the ostentatious cajoling acts; it sure did make a shamble of a Hollywood spectacle. So, considering all the efforts and the succeeding refusal by Howard, Superman may have just painted a huge target on his back.

Dwight Howard’s reasons do actually seem legitimate if one were to look at it from purely an objective standpoint. Houston armed with its young brigade of Harden, Lin, Parsens, Bleverley and Asik is one of the most exciting franchises in the game. Particularly James harden who seems destined to evolve into a top-10 player in the game. He needed a back-up and a sidekick and Howard sure seems to fit the bill. To his mind, he may still see himself as the alpha guy and may talk as a co-captain of the team, but to a pragmatic fan, Houston is surely and truly James Harden’s team and Howard is expected to be the missing piece that gets the franchise its defensive cover and intensity and some paparazzi attention to make noises in the basketball market.

With James Harden around, it gives Howard an ace who can take the clutch shots and close-out games with his ability and shot-creation. Howard will again be faced with a situation alike in Orlando, where he will be surrounded by shooters and will be expected to feed off possible pick-and-roll’s with Harden and Lin and earn vital second chance opportunities with his offensive rebounding skills. Houston was the second highest scoring team in the 2012-13 season, averaging close to 106 points per game, and that with Asik playing the Center. Howard gives them options inside, but the Rockets surely wouldn’t depend on him to be the fulcrum or the goto guy. They already have a run-and-gun roster that has three players who can score at will and create their own shots. So, despite popular belief that the inception of Hakeem Olajuwon in the Rockets coaching facility and under the tutelage of Kevin McHale, Dwight Howard can make the most of his athletic ability and turn into a quintessential dominant force inside, it would be foolish to expect the savvy McHale to re-design his plays and strategies to evolve around Howard.

Dwight Howard

Now, if anyone were to carefully observe Howard’s outing against the Pelicans in the Rockets first pre-season game, one would certainly notice minute improvements and modifications in Howard’s post-up game. Matched up against the lanky Anthony Davis, Howard had a very productive game finishing with 19 points. He displayed a far more aggressive approach, emulating some of the Dream’s greatest post-moves, like the catch-and spin, the reverse-pivot and drop-steps, the jump-hook, the baseline drive and reverse lay-ups. Hakeem’s influence was apparent and while many Rocket fans would be rejoicing at the same, one still needs to understand that Howard is still a liability from the charity stripe and most teams in the league would be more than happy to let him earn everything from the free-throw line. Can Houston risk moving away from the run-and-gun catch-and-shoot Harden-centered offense to please their newest max player?

Add to that the possibility that Asik and Dwight may end up playing together, the paint will be too crowded and thus with almost no space inside, it may suffocate the penetration and limit the likes of Harden and Lin solely to the perimeter. Do you wish to take away the dribble penetration away from Harden, who is quite easily amongst the best in the game at getting to the rim and finishing against contact?

Yes, there is obviously the possibility of McHale and co. finding a way to gel Howard into the system. But, logically that wouldn’t be centered on making him the fulcrum or the pivot of the offense. So, in the first few outings we have seen McHale experimenting with Donatas Motiejunas and Terrence Jones as a possible stretch-four and to open up the paint for Howard and the likes of Harden and Lin. Where does that leave Asik? The Rockets basically have two of the best rebounding big-men in the game, and if one were to compare performance stats per 36 minutes, Asik stands out with the better rebounding numbers. Yes, Howard is a much bigger force on the defensive end with his shot-blocking and rim-protection, but Asik is no meek a defender and would start for most NBA teams.

It may have been simpler if Dwight were a major scoring option down-low, but that is so not the case. Howard may want to believe that his time under McHale and Olajuwon will catapult him in the same legion as the Dream or the legendary Boston Forward, but the 9-year veteran has still a long way to go. As Kevin McHale aptly stated, “Dwight is not going to turn into Hakeem or McHale, he’s going to turn into Dwight Howard. Everybody does things differently. He needs to incorporate that into his game and do what he’s comfortable doing and what we work with him on. He can definitely improve. I think one of the biggest things from last year to this year is he’s healthy again so he has really got to work hard on staying healthy, staying flexible, making sure his back stays as good as it can possibly be he had surgery on it and I really thought that hindered him last year.”

McHale and Olajuwon will for sure do their best to get the maximum out of Howard. But, if one were to be realistic about Howard’s expectations, it is but natural to assume that he has a very tough battle ahead. He has a lot to prove before he can be seen as the alpha guy in the Rockets team over James Harden. Yes, Harden isn’t going to push him like maybe Kobe did, but he for sure would want Howard to earn his respect on the court. That mental toughness will be warranted that Howard has always shied away, the grit and the desire to win that makes champions of prodigies.

The Rockets roster has definitely seen a major upgrade with many pundits almost giving them a legitimate chance of winning the West and at minimum getting to the Conference semi-finals. All eyes will be on Howard, and it will be a hugely skeptical and critical one. It may not be the same prying eyes of Los Angeles, but one needs to remember that Houston is the fourth largest city in the US, and by no means a small town market.

The expectations haven’t been this high ever since Olajuwon led the Rockets to their two titles in the 90′s. The onus is on Howard to step up and actually deliver for once.