Dwight Howard's image as the funny, laided-back, nice guy(sorta) is starting to fade fast... This is play Howard made on Sam Dalambert head is being reviewed now from the NBA on the last night's game against the Magic and Sixers <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sjYuOG1gMDw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sjYuOG1gMDw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> and this similar incident happened earlier in the year. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2x893QnwDyo&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2x893QnwDyo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Looks like he took a page in Deke's book on how to "command your space in the post."
not huge against gasol.. the one against dalembert is ridiculous, and he damn well better be suspended for the next game
He will be suspended for it I am sure. Anyway, just another reason as to why Dwight Howard will be (if not already) better than Yao Ming. It is sad that it is even arguable at this point as to whether or not Yao is the best in the league. That being said, neither will ever be considered an all-timer and neither will ever lead their teams to a championship. So in the grand realm of things, I guess the argument is pointless.
He's a poor sport for sure and is growing into being a dirty player. The guy gets frustrated when he can't get his way. For all the hype he gets he really isn't particularly big and strong for a Center. When he is facing bigger post players he tends to resort to this type of nonsense. I know he has had some dirty, frustration plays vs. Yao several times. Glad he was suspended. That type of elbow can do more damage than a punch can. He may have just cost his team the series and I couldn't be happier about it.
This was pretty black and white to me. He swiped with the elbow, intentionally, and that should cost him a game. Way to use your head there, Dwight.
I meant his increasing willingness to command his space and be aggressive when it is called for, even though -- much like Yao -- he is predisposed to being a nice guy. Obviously he is still learning the ropes, as this incident would suggest. But if he is ever going to be the "next Shaq", he is going to need to get crafty with how he uses his elbows. All the great centers (barring Kareem, perhaps) did it. But they are called veteran moves for a reason. Barkley was just mentioning how he used to intentionally "hit guys" back when he played to try and intimidate them, but he said Dwight has to be crafty and subtle about it. That is what I was referencing. There is no Nobel Peace Prize to be won here, only championships (even then the master of elbows won several humanitarian awards). This is the NBA and physical players/teams tend to win out more often than not. It is part of learning to dominate in this league as a big man.
Using elbows after a rebound and before any whistle to protect the ball is one thing but using elbows to retaliate or send a message because you're frustrated after the play / whistle is blown is another..
Probably just frustration from getting played extremely physical throughout the series. Sometimes I wish Yao would just clobber someone for doing that type of stuff to him .
He's a big guy and every other defender in the league gets some leeway in what they do him on the other side of the court. He's obviously frustrated at the no calls other bigs get, and retaliated. I can' say I blame him. If you remember in Hakeem's book, he was talking about a center that was playing cheap against him but the refs were calling ticky - tack foul on Hakeem instead. Hakeem did (and in the context seemed proud of it) what Howard and got away with it in the game.
<script src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/js/1.1/xmp/module.js?vid=/video/channels/playoffs/2009/04/29/nba_20090429_howard_elbow.nba" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript>Embedded video from <a href="http://www.nba.com/video">NBA Video</a></noscript> better quality. it looks like dalembert was fouling him before the elbow..and there was no call.
Yeah not exactly arguing that, I already said he was not too smart in this situation and may have cost his team a playoff game (if not the series).
Oh right That's a bad mistake to suspend him then - because clearly the rule book states that if you get fouled and there's no call then the neccessary response is to swing your elbow at their head.
i guess it happens... <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TMonqfh69J4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TMonqfh69J4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
