So, Howard's free-throw issues is no news to anyone I think. We knew what we would be getting before we signed to him to the max - an elite physical specimen defensive anchor with some offensive capabilities and rebounding, as well as a poor FT shooter. My question is simple: how would you handle Howard late in games when teams try to use the Hack-a-Dwight strategy against the Rockets? Would you do anything different than McHale? If so, what? What do you think about subbing him out for a while (at approximately 5 or 6 minutes to go at the 4th) and then putting him right in again after it's under 2 minutes to go? Does that make sense?
If he's afraid of being hacked late in games he should reconsider his obsession with the post, play more PnR which he excels at, and win every game by a large margin.
It's pretty f-ed up that your star center becomes a liability at the end of games. It's going to lose us more games for sure if he is not benched when it happens. And, in the playoffs, it's going to be a killer and send this team home.
Personally I would do what Doc did, you sub him in with a higher FT shooter like Greg Smith or even Asik as soon as they do their first hack a Dwight until his FT shooting stabilizes if you want to win that game. In the long run it may be better to just keep sending him to the line until his head gets right. As for post ups, I think part of why Dwight may be weak in posting up is there is some fear that he'll be sent to the line. Until he sorts that out, he'll never be a strong post up player. It's always going to be in the back of his mind until he figures out how to shoot FT's in the live game.
Sub him out which is pretty sad as Harden says the hack a dwight takes all rhythm out for them. Then even when it's under 2 minutes we are playing 4 on 5 because they are scared to pass him the ball because they know he is going to get fouled
Over the next four years every close game inside the last 4 minutes shall be hack-a-Dwight: something to look forward to. I'd put in Asik.
how would i handle howard late in game? i wouldnt. this dang hacka stuff is pissing me off. guy cant make a dang ft to save his life.
When they start hacking, he should have his team mates surround him like a football play where the other team can't reach him...
Keep him in. If he misses FT, then it's on him. He is too valuable defensively at the end of games to bench him.
If Dwight is active on the defensive end, fine keep him in. But if he's not, and he's just sending the other team to the FT line then sure sub him out because he's no help on the offense either. But then.... What Doc did to sub out DeAndre is something McHale probably wouldn't be able to do to subbing out Dwight hurting his ego, and coach knows that otherwise he would've done it.
Howard is an elite rim protector. Keep him in games and work on his FT's in practice. He's better than Asik in all aspects
