what OP is saying is dwights post game doesn't look pretty. it's not very fluid when I look at it. Compare it to Dmo post game which seems more fluid. Dwight doesn't have footwork. Dwights post game is catch ball dribble awkwardly twice do a layup or hook shot. If he's not within 7 feet of the basket then he isn't effective.
He's very inefficient on offense (really hope McHale realizes that D-Mo should get more of the post ups), but his defense and rebounding is why he deserves the big bucks.
It is because he screens near the perimeter and by the time we get him the ball again, the defense has been set. Either that, or one of our wings circle jerk on the perimeter and then pass it to him after the D has already caught up and been set. In the old days, Hakeem quickly established where he wanted to be in the paint and the wing throws in an entry pass.
Luckly, we have Harden, Howard just plays his defense. I thought that Howard would be better than Yao Ming when Yao was able to play the ball, but he is not, still not overrated.
well someone did point out that he sets weaker screens that you'd expect for a guy his size. Part of it might be not wanting to rack up offensive fouls (#PointOfEmphasis) but i also think he tries to slip the screen to get an open look. that'd be fine if the ball handler was ready for it, but he rarely is and it just results in a wasted 7 seconds. but agree that the most effective pick and rolls we've seen this season come with harden and howard around the free throw line. that's the only time i want to see howard anywhere near the free throw line.
We were spoiled by Yao and most were too dumb to realize it. People were so busy getting mad that Yao wasn't "mean enough" or didn't "dunk enough" to miss out on the dominant offensive force he was. It is a damn shame that we didn't get to have a healthy Yao for longer.
Dwight should develop a 3pt shot and a turnaround fadeaway, or else he'd be forever overrated. Wouldn't hurt if he learns the eurostep either.
Hah! In all seriousness, I think a realistic next step is a 12-15 ft bank shot. I recall him working on it last year in the preseason and then he stopped. It would do wonders for his game.
There is no need to compare with Dream, Moses, just look at Yao Ming when he was able to play the ball. Howard is just not that great, accept the fact.
Howard would be fine if his body wasn't falling apart. He's only 28 years old but will likely be in a wheelchair by the time he's 40.
Good debate. The general consensus is we're paying Dwight $20 million for defense and rebounding. Somebody needs to convince me we need to pay $20 million for defense and rebounding.
He definitely has looked older/slower since coming back from the knee injury. Not nearly as explosive. But he's still damn good defensively, and the last couple of games we've fallen apart without him in the lineup.
maybe if he was willing to run pick and roll more, thats my only issue with Dwight. Other than that im glad he is here
$20M for Howard is not a big deal. If we do not want to pay him for that money, many other teams are willing to do it so. Besides defense and rebounding, he is still able to score many points, depending on who is guarding him. He is not a one dimensional player.
For pure basketball reasons, it would have been perfect if we traded Howard for someone like Aldridge, Love, or Bosh to play with Asik. With Howard's market value, we would have gotten some more assets along with the elite scoring PF to shore up our depth. But that would never happen because of the obvious PR fall out that would certainly follow.
I think Dwight coming into the league was such a supreme athlete with quick feet that could jump out the gym that he never really focused on basic fundamentals of the post and has hid behind his athleticism and was a very effective player doing so on both ends of the floor. Now that he is not as athletic as he was maybe in 2009 and is slowly losing his springs(like all athletes do) he is trying to learn some fundamentals in the post. I think at this point in his career he is what he is and you go a lot of years building bad habits that at 29 you won't escape them.
