Fran's bitter against the Rockets so this type of piece isn't surprising coming from him. He does make some good points, but it's easy to pile on Dwight when half his athleticism is lost and he predictably isn't nearly the dominant force he was back in the day. No one would dare say that he's a "phony tough guy" when he was in his prime dunking over everybody and blocking everything into the third row.
Makes everything personal. His anti-Harden and anti-Rockets stance is peculiarly tied to his personal dealings with those entities rather than an overall objective analysis. What he's saying here is simply false. JB can stick up for Dwight at a press conference and then go into the locker room and tell him he needs to grow up. Both of those things are probably true - Dwight needs to hone his anger a bit and the referees are screwing him - but Fran focuses on one thing. From a pure writing perspective, the guy's style is boring and antiquated as well. Mix that with his overpowering bias and you have a bad recipe.
Good ol' Pig-Face going with the tired "Dwight is too immature" narrative. Yeah, he is a knucklehead, but he's really the least of the Rockets' problems this season.
I think its important to have a separate conversation in this case about quality of writing (fearlessness... whatever) vs. past history creating bias, narrative, and agenda in writers such as Fran. Acknowledging his past history & how it shapes his articles & reports are super important if you are a fan who is judging a team on your own accord.
Another issue that needs to be raised: A full-time writer for NBA.com may not be the most objective source for discussion of the league's officiating. I like Fran a lot and respect his reporting. But his outlet is not where I would expect objective reporting when it comes to issues between Dwight and the officials. Just common sense.
Dwight might be immature, but he his getting manhandled out there and the refs let it go. The two don't have to be tied to each other. Fran is wrong, the Rockets are 100% in the right in defending their max salary center.
People said the same thing about Cam Newton, until now that they are going to the Superbowl. Last time I checked, Dwight led his team to the finals once as well. Dwight's "attitude" is not the problem with this team. It's just believable from the outside looking in because he was tossed in two straight games. I firmly believe the Rockets struggles and Dwight's ejections are unrelated, completely based on game-flow and officiating in the last 2 games, not team moral/attitude.
What is the backstory between Fran and the Rockets...? Same question regarding Eddie Sefko? Like why were they ousted?
Fran's leaving kinda coincided with newspaper cost reductions due to the internet. And he probably saw a new way of journalism to pursue. Rockets didn't get him fired. I don't recall Fran ever being the Rockets beat writer, as someone previously said. He was a sports journalists covering all Houston teams, the counterpart to Dale Robertson at the Post. I think his last beat writer gig was the 76ers?? No? Fran actually had more problems with the Oilers. Herzog once punched him. And Hakeem loved Fran, pretty much the last player Fran could get interviews from.
If the refs are going to allow all of the contact and grabbing against Dwight, he needs to start lowering his shoulder and bulling his way to dunks from the post like Shaq used to do. Make the refs call offensive fouls on him and keep doing it all game every game. Either the refs are going to foul him out every game (unlikely), they adjust to crack down on the fouls he is receiving, or they let him get away with murder in the post like Shaq used to. Same thing I said Yao should have done. When you are a physically dominant big, no need to play like McHale in the post.
LBJ is the franchise. Lock, stock and Rich Paul. No one has ever held more sway over his organization than The King'. Dwight has sway, but no more so than counterparts around the Association. Sure, Dwight might be traded. If, if, if has a deal in place with the acquiring team as he is not going to go through another Dwightmare in July.
Reality is that DHo got stupid in his reactions. He was no way no how over the top but he was wrong in how he dealt with things on the court.
Yeah I'm sick of hearing all the excuses. Rockets suck because they want to suck. We've been trying to get back 14-15 form when even that level of play wasn't enough. Just STFU and strive to better yourselves
This piece sounds personal. Watching the Rockets play you can't place all blame on Dwight. This guy's a idiot
If you have watched the past three games then you would know that there is something ****ed about the way he is officiated. If you haven't watched the last three games then don't write an article about it so chides like DD have more ammo to hate on our playoff mvp
Dwight shows up for the playoff, isn't that when it counts. The 2nd Rockets championship team decided to only show up for the playoffs. I'm not condoning the ****ty play but I know once the playoff starts, Howard will bring his A game. And yes, that dude is crazy immature.
I knew Dwight was an emotional, poor free throw shooting big when we signed him. Not sure what anyone else was expecting. Anyone wanting Cousins or Whiteside should expect similar warts. Again it has to be noted. Dwight didn't strike the official. He placed his hand on the officials arm which was swatted away, and then a different ref called him on it. The ref he made contact with was ready to let that go imo. Nope. Dwight doesn't get fouled any harder than your average NBA player... Spoiler
Fran hit the nail on the head when he wrote this: Those two attributes - drive and professionalism - are what's missing and has been missing here now for years. I look at the two so-called superstar "foundation" players and this is not something I can see coming from them. Nor is there leadership coming from them as well. It's why I continually have questions about their resolve to do what's necessary to actually win a championship and not just talk the talk about doing so. Exactly. He's having fun and getting PAID. He wants a ring but he's no committed to doing what's necessary to lead his team there. He's living the dream - a star NBA player but not a champion. He's just a really nice guy who lacks the "heart of a champion" that Rudy T talked about those many years ago.
