Not here to be a Howard apologist, but one game doesn't give perspective. The same to be said about his first game. We need a sample size. And then we will see the "true" Howard. Although I think he will play better under Bud, cuz well. He's a real coach. JB WickerLaugh. Ha. I **** better coaches.
8.5 fga but how many fts did he avg a game also? Teams just figured out to hack him and let him brick his ft's. Howard had the most touches in the post in the nba last year if I recall correctly
Because he was actively attempting to sabotage the Rockets by avoiding the basketball. Simple cuts and rolls that he made in the past he avoided last year in an effort to make a point. It was justified in his childish brain. He also refused to protect the rim and went the Kevin Love route and became a turnstile defender in order to inflate his rebounds, thus his unbelievably low shot blocking rate.
If Atlanta has a good record while giving Dwight more than the amount of post touches and attempts he had here in Houston, then you would just have to commend them. Right now they are winning while ignoring Dwight on the offensive end; hes an ultra Ben Wallace.
Convincing a player to be motivated to execute the plan MATTERS A LOT. If we failed to convince him to give up post touches maybe he's an idiot. If another team is able to convince him to be motivated to play PnR and be a defensive anchor, then we are the idiots because right now we can use that player. Maybe "clap clap, man up" is not the only way to motivate NBA players. Maybe going to the coach and hatching a weird backroom plan to cut his minutes and touches and letting the player find out from someone else is not exactly the best way to maintain the value of your asset. Sadly, I think it's true. Atlanta will have Dwight play a role we wish he would play for us. But instead of admitting that management failed at achieving a key goal, we're going to call Howard the idiot. What Dwight Howard is right now is an ultra Clint Capela, and how great would that be for us? It really is too bad we screwed it up. Rockets management have a weakness - as all front offices do - but I'm comfortable with the weakness. It's a front office very weak in understanding player psychology. I saw it with how Howard and Royce White were handled. I've seen it with how they don't seem to understand the psychological/motivational issues attached to having bloody restricted FA negotiations. It's fine because I still think overall we have one of the better front offices, but there's no shame in acknowledging something our management is bad at. It's ok that we screwed it up with Dwight, especially since Dwight happens to be a player that is challenging to motivate. That's the chess game though, that's what the Spurs do so well.
Agree with the first part of DreamShook's post, but I think it's actually smart to have Dwight PnR. It's not a grand conspiracy by merA to "limit his touches". Problem is when you don't set a good pick, and you don't really roll, that limits your touches. Also, I'd rather give Capela serious burn than have Dwight for 1-2 more seasons. Kid is barely old enough to drink. He could git gud.
Obviously this early we're gonna get some screwy numbers. But Dwight has a 77 DRTG so far 5.8 blocks and 25 rebounds per 100 possessions (4.4 and 19.1 per36)
I am not a fan of Dwight any longer...BUT he is NOT a loser. He just couldnt accept a diminished role. He believes that his game will allow him to have a Tim Duncan like career. Dwight has won, but finds ways to be disingenuous to his team/teammates/coaches...he is more quick at blaming others (using subliminal messages) instead of taking responsibility for his inconsistent play. The Rockets surely could have used Dwight...and they would be a much better team...But Dwight's mental make up prevents him from truly being his best. His ego will prevent him from ever winning a title. But when he is on...there really arent many that are better.
Dwight was great due to his superior athletic skills, those diminish with age. Duncan was a great basketball player, that fact diminishes less with age. Seriously funny if he sees himself as Duncenesque.
They got Dwight more involved in the offense this game; his first post touch came in the 1st quarter. They didn't force it in to him but they worked him into the offense. When they did, the offense grinded to a halt. The classic Dwight TO's, hacking, and suspect post game ensued; It's the reason the Kings got back in the game. It was more the constant hacking that got the Hawks out of sync offensively, not Dwight's poor post moves. Dwight got in foul trouble, had to sit, and the free flowing offense came back. This game reminded me of the old Rockets games.
