[CHRON] Howard pays for temper

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/3572672.html

Jan. 8, 2006, 1:29AM
Howard pays for temper
Rockets forward draws one-game suspension after dispute with James

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle

Juwan Howard was livid. He had squared off with Raptors guard Mike James, heard James call him a name he could not accept and would not repeat and shoved the ball in James' face. But before he would be escorted from the Air Canada Centre court, he got in the faces of his Rockets teammates.

With his own face scowling and his right finger pointing and jabbing toward them, he demanded they continue to fight the good fight.

It was not the first time.

Howard's on-court fit earned him an ejection from the Rockets' loss Friday in Toronto and a suspension from tonight's game against the Denver Nuggets. By shoving the ball above James' shoulder, Howard's fit of rage — which he would not discuss — was treated as a blow to the face and an automatic suspension.

But to the Rockets, it was another demonstration that the player who had been through a potentially maddening string of terrible seasons had not been numbed by failure and certainly would not accept it.

Howard, a 6-9 forward, had decided last month, long before his parting words on the bench Friday, to become more vocal. As with Friday's admonitions, some have been in vain. But whether from the Rockets' struggles through James' strut past them, Howard had made it clear he would not give in.

"I learned a lot about this league," Howard said last week. "Yes, I have been on some losing teams before. Usually they say when you've been on losing teams before, it doesn't bother him. It just goes by. It's like this guy doesn't care. 'OK, we hit some more losing. If it happens, it happens.'

"I don't approach it that way. I learned you have to stay mentally tough. You have to find ways to get better as a team. I think you have to find ways to improve individually, to do more. That's how I approach it. What can I do more? What can I do to help?"


Part of some bad teams

Howard was part of the 21-61 Orlando Magic in 2003-04. He played for the 17-65 Denver Nuggets on 2002-03. He finished the previous season with the 27-55 Nuggets. In his last full season with the Washington Wizards, 1999-2000, the Wizards went 29-53. The year before, the lockout season, they went 18-32. In his rookie season, he was welcomed to the NBA with a 21-61 season.

That was supposed to end for Howard with his move to the Rockets. The Rockets' 51-31 season was the best of this career. But with the Rockets beset with injuries, they have had eight-game and five-game losing streaks. At 12-19, they are 14th in the Western Conference.

But Howard said he has refused to lament his luck or believe it is happening again.

"You can't allow that type of attitude to creep in," he said. "As a professional, you can't do that. Once you allow that type of attitude, then of course, you're a loser. No one on this team is a loser."

The records of many of Howard's teams do indicate he is not the sort of player, the rare Hakeem Olajuwon or Tim Duncan, who can prevent a team from falling so far. There always have been bigger or more explosive athletes, but since Yao Ming went out with his toe infection, Howard has averaged 14.8 points on 49.5 percent shooting and 7.8 rebounds.

He had averaged 20 points, making 17 of 26 shots, in the first two games of the Rockets' road trip before he was ejected 14 minutes into Friday's game.

"It's both: They've gone to me more, and I've tried to be more assertive," Howard said. "We need guys like myself, Stromile (Swift) and Dikembe (Mutombo) to step up more."

Teammates have considered Howard valuable for contributions that cannot be counted.

"Obviously, I've been with a lot of players around the league, and he's one of the most professional guys I've ever played with," Rockets guard Jon Barry said. "That comes with losing, with winning, with any situation. Nobody works harder. He's upbeat. He plays the right way night in and night out."

That made his fit of anger more surprising. But Howard does play with an edge of tension that does not have to escalate far to reach anger.


Trying to do more

He has fought a tendency to get down on himself during games when his shot is off. But that same inclination, he said, led him to decide to be more assertive with his team, as well as his own play.

"I'm always my worst critic after a loss, or even after a win," Howard said. "Like when we lost five in a row, since I've been part of this before, I said how about stepping up and being a leader, not only by example, but by being vocal. You try to get a group of people to be leaders. But in a situation like this, I thought, 'Hey, it's important for me to become vocal to help this team try to stay positive, upbeat and work harder and more.'

"I know I can do more. I can do better. We can do better as a team."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com


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Rockets Summary

Lucas to return

The Rockets are expected to sign guard John Lucas III to a 10-day contract, five days after releasing him.

Lucas played in two games in his brief stay with the team. In Washington last Tuesday, Lucas played 14 solid minutes, getting a pair of assists and hitting a floater in the lane without committing a turnover.

He and forward Josh Davis were released the next day so they could clear waivers before their contracts would be guaranteed.

With forward Juwan Howard suspended for one game and the Rockets short-handed in the frontcourt with Yao Ming sidelined, the Rockets could consider bringing in Davis or another frontcourt player. But with Howard to return in time to play Tuesday in Charlotte, his suspension might not be too great a factor in the decision.


Working way back

Jon Barry said Thursday, after his first extended playing time since he was hurt Nov. 25 (he played two minutes Dec. 6), he never felt right.

"Do you know what a fish out of water feels like?" Barry said. "I do."

He looked much more comfortable Friday, making three of four shots, two of three from 3-point range, and getting two assists without a turnover in 16 minutes.

But Barry is still not at full strength after missing 12 games with a strained right calf.

"Really the only time it really hurts is when I try to take off," Barry said. "I can slowly jog into a sprint. But when I'm standing still and try to explode, it bothers me. I'm hoping it's scar tissue. ... Hopefully it will get better as the days progress."

JONATHAN FEIGEN