What is D12 doing to improve his game this summer?

Well, except for Karl Malone, and many others, that is....

DD

 

Not after missing half the season and coming back just weeks before the Playoffs started. I actually think he played quite well. And at that point, The Rockets were NOT going to change their offensive strategy and rhythm with Harden leading the way to accommodate Howard's return right before the playoffs started.

 

He's NOT Karl Malone, nor that type of player. And he would be the exception to the rule, you know that DD. A 10 year veteran is NOT going to suddenly improve their shot like that. Karl Malone went from a 50% FT shooter to a very respectable 70% by his THIRD season, not midway or late in his career.

 

I don't think he will change who he is. His biggest liability besides FT%, is his composure, mental toughness and maturity. He's too fragile and lets opponents into his head, which results in him losing his cool. If he could/should improve on anything, it's the mental aspect of his game. I think the FTs will improve if he can do this.

 

Ah more qualifiers, I am not sure what the years does for your argument, anyone CAN improve they just have to work at it - and maybe that is a form change, or maybe it is mental - but to say he CAN'T improve is insane.

Sure he CAN! He just has to do the work - lots of guys have improved, look at Jason Kidd and his 3pt shooting percentage as a late career example.

Guys CAN AND DO improve they just have to work at it.

DD

 

I see you ducked my question about Shaq. I could include Ben Wallace in that argument.

 

I honestly feel at this point in his career he is who he is. Dwight came into the league being able to jump over every one and with those super athletic abilities never felt the need to learn the fundamentals such as post up, box out, and put together an arsenal of moves on the lower block. Now that he is losing his athletic ability he isnt as dominant offensively. Being in Houston I was able to watch Dream in the championship years and Yao Ming develop into a monster on the block, so I know a guy who lacks skill when I see him. I think Dwight should fall back from the offensive end and stop demanding back to the basket touches, they always end up as wasted possession instead focus on being a full force on the defensive like a DeAndre Jordan and Tyson Chandler.

 

Look at his body.

He works hard.....

 

We are not talking about Shaq, Dwight is not nor has he ever been on Shaq's level.

And yes, Shaq could have been a LOT better if he worked on his game too....as it is...he is what top 5 or top 10, when he could have been the best, but his lack of dedication and worth ethos held him back.

Dwight has that same issue, but he is starting from a lower point in ability from Shaq.

So your question was not relevant to this topic.

DD

 

You said Dwight was not an "all-time great" because he was goofy and didn't work on his freethrows. You've given examples of Hakeem and Malone. I gave an example of a player who was also goofy and was horrible from the free throw line yet he is an "all-time great". I added Ben Wallace who was also horrible from the free throw line. The relevance is that it is not a requirement for an all-time great to not be goofy and be bad at the free throw line.

 

Not going to debate the village idiot.

 

He is over a 70% free throw shooter in practice. It's apparently a mental thing. And the man is 30 years old. It really shocks me that so many of you seem to think he's just going to magically become a better free throw shooter at this point in his career. Dwight is never going to be a good free throw shooter. Deal with it.

 

NEVER? See those are words of failure.

He CAN improve, he is CHOOSING, not to.

There is a difference, he is NOT working on the true problem, whether that be mechanical, mental or both - if he would be willing to work on it, he could improve.

Again, it is not life or death here, but saying NEVER is giving up, and that is EXACTLY what he should not do, he SHOULD try to improve.

But guys that have 22m contracts and are still pretty dominant sometimes settle for good enough, that is Dwight Howard.

DD

 

I wonder if you are a Kobe Bryant fan. Perhaps you should consider that there are more ways to success in life than shutting out all joy and becoming an emotionless workaholic.

 

Impossible to prove this. The burden of proof lies on the person making a statement like this.

Pictures of Dwight at ComicCon to not serve as proof.

I always hated when the "analysts" would say the Hack-A-Shaq rule is justified because "just work harder". (Reggie Miller).

 

Are you saying he is choosing not to or are you saying "if he chooses not to"? Do you know without a doubt that he has chosen not to work on his free throws?

 

Dwight hasn't improved on free-throws? Pigs will NEVER fly either.

 

Fine I am comfortable with you believing what you want, and we will see the results in the season of whether he actually improved.

I have about 11 years of data that he hasn't though....if he wants to improve he can, but it is all up to him.

DD

 

That's exactly right DD.

When you do something wrong how can you expect to get good results. Dwight has NO idea how to shoot FT. Either that or he just ignores the advice he's been given. One of the greatest FT shooters in the history of the NBA is right here in HTown (Murphy). How much time has Dwight spent with him? Further how much time has he worked on the proper mechanics that he's been taught?

I damn well know Murph (or any shooting coach) is advising him to freakin push his FT and not use his legs or wrists.

 

I'm not claiming that Dwight will improve. To use an analogy, I'm saying that you could practice guitar every day and never be Eddie Van Halen.

You have 11 years of data that he hasn't improved at free throws, which doesn't necessarily mean he's just choosing not to shoot better. I don't think he'll ever "get" it.