Stephen A. Smith, "Dwight Howard has the most pressure this upcoming season"

debate fueled by lots of hot air but i basically agree that if DH gives a strong performance we're sitting pretty.

dunno if he has 'the most pressure' this season. at best the media has us as a dark horse possibility. from whence cometh this pressure? internally? ... don't think Dwight is wired like that.

 

SAS: I think about a Carmelo Anthony.

Above 'Melo and Chris Paul, Dwight Howard. Let me tell you why. When you think about Dwight Howard, think about James Harden and the year that brother had. He has a legitimate gripe. James Harden is a superstar in this league. When you add the fact they just acquired Ty Lawson, if he can stay off the sauce, you got a PG with Harden who pushes the ball up the floor and can make things happen. The Houston Rockets were in the Conference Finals last year. How come you can't make it to the Finals if Howard shows up and plays? Howard is the $88 million dollar man. Dwight Howard is the man who left Orlando, went to LA talking about his brand and wanting to do something. Dwight Howard to me, when it's all said and done, this brother shows up, even though Cousins is the best big man in basketball, Howard has a chance to be that again, if Howard can do what we know he can do, Houston can beat anyone.

Skip: He has failed so many times and no one expects him to do anything again.

SAS:I do. I have expectations for Dwight Howard. It ain't hope. This brother can play. He doesn't have the greatest post game but I'm talking presence. I'm talking defensive prowess, rebound, block shots, change shots, make a difference on the defensive end, run up and down the floor offensively and score points that way. With Harden up in there, you need to step up.

 

CP3 has more pressure than Howard. SA is just not smart enough to figure it out.

 

CP3 is only 5ft so according to SAS, he has no pressure at all.

 

I wouldn't put Dwight at the top of the list. He's coming off an injury-plagued season, but he showed up big in the playoffs(flagrants and technicals aside) and helped lead his team to the WCF. Not to say there isn't pressure on him because there is. Can he stay healthy? Can he make at least 50% of his free throws? Can he stop losing his cool? Can he help the Rockets get back to the Finals and win it all? All important questions he has to answer this season.

But c'mon, there's way more pressure on Chris Paul than Dwight(and it's rare I agree with Skip Bayless). Paul's never been to the conference finals and was basically 14 minutes away last season before his team choked. Plus he's 30 now and that window for the Clippers ain't gonna stay open forever. I'd also put Durant above Dwight. He's coming off an even worse season of injuries. His team didn't make the playoffs. His coach got fired. And oh yeah, he's gonna be a free agent next summer and could be playing his final season in OKC.

 

I tend to agree. The Rockets can legitimately win it all if Dwight Howard stays healthy and plays well. Nobody in the media will ever admit it, but the Rockets very well could have beaten the Warriors last year if Josh Smith doesn't smash into Dwight's knee.

I don't know if he has the most pressure, but given the expectations and potential for the Rockets, Dwight's the big X-Factor. His window is closing fast. He needs to capitalize on this opportunity.

 

Agreed.

Harden alone makes us a very strong playoff team but Harden + a healthy Dwight Howard makes us contenders.

 

Why give SAS hits?

 

If you ignore the headline and listen to what he had to say about the Rockets, I thought he was actually pretty positive. Gave props to Harden, Lawson, and said the only reason he thinks pressure is on Dwight is because he has high expectations of him.

 

don't think Dwight has much pressure at all on him now that he's in Houston. seems like he's in a good place now and he has a better understanding of what he needs to do in order for the team to succeed.

 

I somewhat agree. If Dwight plays his best, we will win a title. He has pressure to stay healthy all season and perform in the postseason like we know he can.

 

No, it's because Chris Paul is a true point guard and relies on other players to score. He cannot take over games by putting the ball in the basket, his job is to make it easier for other players to get buckets. Paul is a distributor who can score at times, but that's not his M.O. nor his strength.

 

every year cp3 has been with the clips, they try to add more and more to the team to help him. and every year they said this is the best supporting cast he's had. Once again this is probably another true statement this year so there's plenty of pressure on cp3. more than DH imo.

 

I don't know how a #2 (if that still) can qualify for this. Gotta be CP3

 

All i know is this year is going to be a make or break for many teams. There are many teams who have the "its they're time" phase. If these teams I'm talking about don't win it or show they can get far enough than they will be a pretender forever.

Clippers are number one in having the pressure to show something or will permanently become a laughing stock
Followed by LeBron (even tho he said they won't win it the first year together)
Rockets are right behind them.
Spurs - everyone will be surprised if they don't get the job done.

 

Lots of pressure on dwight. He most likely opts out with the cap increase.

He plays all year and well, he might get 29 million over 4-5 years.

Marred by injuries and poor play, 20 million 4-5 years.

Personally, I wouldn't sign him for either of these.