Please feel free to lock if this has been discussed at length. However, I've watched several practice tapes of Dwight practicing with Dream on his legendary post/face up moves and he continues to do the same predictable Georgetown moves that Shaq kills him about. Fake left or right and go the opposite way when he faces up. In addition, the post/face up moves are in super slow motion, allowing inferior centers to defend him. I have seen very few spins, quick, pump fake, or any of the moves that Dream and Dwight have practiced. Come on D12, if you want to take us to the next level. U have 2 of the best all time low post players, let's start using what they've taught you.
While Dream may be teaching him moves, it's not as easy for someone to learn those moves.. Seeing as he has taught a number of players 'his moves' and no one has been able to replicate them. It's harder to do something full speed, than in practice.
If Dwight can just stay healthy, im fine with the skill set he already has. He can improve a little bit on his post moves, but we will need him for his ability to play the pick and roll.
Dwight's post game is not, in any way, something that should be considered a strength. He averaged just .74 PPP posting up, ranked 121st in the league. That means that every team had FOUR players more adept than Dwight in post ups. I know what people gonna say next. But...but he was recovering from back surgery. Even at the height of his powers, Dwight was never all that good as a post up player. In '09-'10, he ranked 67th in post up play, and '10-'11, he ranked 56th. Dwight had always been an amazing player in spite of his post game, not because of it. With a decade experience in NBA, it would be incredibly ignorant to expect Dwight to improve significantly from this point forward. Dwight Howard is what he is, and being a strong post up player is not who he is or will unlikely ever be. Dwight's strength in offensively? The roll man in the PnR. In the 3 years prior to his surgery, Dwight ranked 1st, 1st and 2nd in the league in PPP as the roll man. His PnR game last year? It declined just like everything else due to recovery from his surgery. His ranking fell all the way to....9th. Despite his worst season in recent history and struggled mightily, he was STILL a top ten roll man. PnR is one of the most difficult plays to stop and lethal with a combination of deadly shooter/passer as ball handler and speed/athletic roll man. Harden and Dwight fit the description to a tee. Stockton and Malone ran PnR's for years. Team knew PnR were coming but no team could stop them consistently. If they hadn't ran into prime Jordan, Jazz could easily won two championships. I'm not against running post ups for Dwight, but only on a limited basis. I know he wants his own legacy. Post ups is a one man game while PnR requires two players. His clocking is ticking and time definitely not on his side to be a great post player. If Dwight wants to win championships, he should put in more work with Harden/Lin/Bev on PnR's.
I would have liked for him to at least try some of the stuff he has been learning in the preseason to determine if it's usuable during the season and playoffs..
Absolutely agree with kuku. Dwight is what he is now. It would be naive to expect an almost 28 year old player to make any substantial progress in any expect of his game, unless he has that MJ/Kobe drive & killer instict, which Dwight doesn't.
Calvin comment on his moves during half time and it did look Dreamish! However, I was very disappointed when a hustling Chandler knocked a rebound out of his hand and Dwight acted as if Bang slapped one of his baby's mama! Dwight could've easily retrieved the ball. His immaturity at almost 30 is frightening!!
Dwight's post play is gradually improving as the season progresses. Let's see where he stands come playoff time. These growing pains are with it IMO.
Dwight definitely had definitive moves against Portland. What usually drives me crazy about his post moves is he goes for layups right at the rim when he could dunk. BUT, it's worse than that. He leans and even picking up his feet like a fairy. His at the basket moves are not squared up and very weak. Last night, he had several <5 footers but his feet were squared with his shoulders as he went up. It's so much more in control. Anybody that says Dwight will not continue to improve, well last night we clearly saw some growth. However, he was open several times and folks didn't get the ball to him. He was killing Lopez. It was a massacre, frankly. If was coaching, I would have been like Rudy T ..."Run it again". Post up Dwight 10x in a row until they stop him. When Howard posted, it was only a question if he made the shot.
That's the biggest change I've noticed as well. I tell my girlfriend that every game (not that she cares). The same thing goes for his free throws. His motion is much more fluid rather than slow and in parts. The results are obvious for both examples.
We lead the friggin league in scoring man, get over it. I wish they'd amputate Dwight's thumbs so we could focus on something else.
He has always be quick. IMO, that has always been his best and most effective attribute. This difference is that his now quick AND under control so it looks better. Ziggy, leading the league in scoring will translate into little or nothing in the playoffs. If Howard can morph into a dominant low post scorer, that bodes well for our playoff chances. It's worth it that they are force feeding him down low to let him develop.
