I decided I don't like Dwight Howard

[Ersatz]

My only problem with Howard is that he's not that good. Yeah, the dude can fill up a stat sheet, but there are caveats with all of those things: yeah, he gets a lot of rebounds, but he's always been on terrible rebounding teams on which he's the only big guy on the floor (Rashard Lewis is the Magic's "power" forward!). He scores some points, but besides the slam dunk, he's got no identifiable offensive weapon or creative move that will get him a basket when his team needs them; it's all good passes from his teammates and putbacks, which are possible because of his incredible combination of size, speed, and athleticism. He blocks a lot of shots, but I wouldn't call him a particularly good one-on-one defender.

I hesitate to call him overrated, but, well, he is. Which is more of about the media types that love to praise him rather than anything he fails to do. On the other hand, unlike other great players, he doesn't seem to really ever work on his game or add new facets. Why doesn't he have a decent jump-hook, for instance? Why can't he consistently hit the 8-12 footer? Very limited player. Contra what people said about him his first few years in the league, he's the anti-Tim Duncan.

[Brickowski]

Dwight Howard seems like a great kid, but he just isn't a very good basketball player.  He gets by on raw athleticism.

If they had his body, I imagine that half the college players in the country would be NBA hall of famers. 

[housecall]

I don't think they will ever win a championship with him unless his mindset changes.His priorites doesn't apppear to be about winning it all so much as his own stats being great.Thats just my opinion but i don't feel him being a dominant C the way a champion should be.

[RAcker]

When Howard starting staring at his hand like that I was praying for the Celtics to win that game!  Perk and Baby obviously noticed what Howard was doing, because he didn't do much after that.  Perk shut him down and Baby got him fouled out. 8 )  I wonder if he's still looking at his hand. LOL

He's checking to make sure no hair is growing on there because he is so in love with himself. 

[housecall]

That Superman exhibition has gone to his peanut-looking head.

[crownsy]

Dwight Howard seems like a great kid, but he just isn't a very good basketball player.  He gets by on raw athleticism.

If they had his body, I imagine that half the college players in the country would be NBA hall of famers. 

Its an intersting study, kinda.

If your as dominate as he was based on body type, are you inherintlly less likely to work as hard as say, big al, who didnt get a super athletic big body, but has made himself an allstar?

I mean, imagine that body combined with Timmy's mind set and work ethic. As great as duncan is, he would be unstoppable. he'd go for 30-20-10 a night.

[RAcker]

We should hold up lots of Mr. Peanuts for him next time he visits the Garden.  We can call him Peanut like Costanza wanted to be called T-Bone!

[guava_wrench]

I used to like Dwight Howard.  He seems like a fun guy, never gets in trouble and is a very good player.  But after last nights game, I decided that I don't like him.

In the first quarter, he seemed to do some cute move after every play.  He had nice jump hooks with each hand but then after each ran down the court looking at his hand (whichever one it was that just made the basket) like it was magical and he couldn't believe it.  Then he had a dunk and did a little flex pose afterward.  This was like defensive backs breakdancing after they make a routine tackle.  Just do your job.  Grr.

Fortunately, he didn't score again until the 4th quarter, so he didn't get a chance for any more of that.

After hearing some public criticism from SVG about him earlier in the season, it seems Dwight is become another prima donna like LeBron.

Or like Paul Pierce? Pierce is more of a prima donna than LeBron. Doesn't change my appreciation of their games though.

[quidinqui33]

[KJ33]

+ He got that look at his hand thing when he gets hot from Shaq

Exactly, but how was it that Howard was "hot" after making his first shot of the game?  I'm not a big fan of demonstrative gestures in any event, but after a guy has drained several threes in a row, and blows his finger like a smoking gun, I at least get the reference.  Howard was acting like "I cannot be stopped" after making his first 2 shots.  I was rooting for, and love it when it happens, that both Howard would be ordinary and the Magic would lose.  They were saying on the broadcast how mature he has become, but those gestures after 2 hoops, in a game with dozens of possessions, was a classic case of immaturity.  I thought right there and then, "Orlando is too jacked up over a single basket to sustain what effort they will need to beat the C's tonight."

[jambr380]

Dude, if I had no idea who Dwight Howard was and I first heard of him from this thread, I would think of him as the second coming of Eric Montross. We don't have to like his personality and we don't have to think he is as skilled as Lebron or Kobe, but we should all agree, that on a typical night, this guy is pretty dominant. Sure, he may never be Shaq, but I would be pretty psyched if he were traded to the Celtics.

I agree with the poster that he may not be the #1 option on a championship team, but he sure as heck would be the #1 defensive option. He had an off night last night and everyone is saying how he is overrated and that Perk is comparable- geez, I guess you all don't know what you are missing...

[ThreadCrasher]

Dwight Howard seems like a great kid, but he just isn't a very good basketball player.  He gets by on raw athleticism.

If they had his body, I imagine that half the college players in the country would be NBA hall of famers. 

20/14/3 is a very good basketball player based on any criteria.  If those numbers are "just getting by", then I bet half the NBA would like to get by too!  The fact that he is so much more athletic than everyone in a league of athletic, tall men is astounding.

Now the scary thing is he is developing an offensive game...just imagine.

[moiso]

I believe Howard stared at his hand after he made his FIRST shot also!  The camera just didn't zoom in and show it in slow-mo.  That's ridiculous!

[RedsCeltics34]

+ He got that look at his hand thing when he gets hot from Shaq

Exactly, but how was it that Howard was "hot" after making his first shot of the game?  I'm not a big fan of demonstrative gestures in any event, but after a guy has drained several threes in a row, and blows his finger like a smoking gun, I at least get the reference.  Howard was acting like "I cannot be stopped" after making his first 2 shots.  I was rooting for, and love it when it happens, that both Howard would be ordinary and the Magic would lose.  They were saying on the broadcast how mature he has become, but those gestures after 2 hoops, in a game with dozens of possessions, was a classic case of immaturity.  I thought right there and then, "Orlando is too jacked up over a single basket to sustain what effort they will need to beat the C's tonight."

I know I completely agree with you, I wasn't defending Howard. I've always been the one to tell the people I know personally Dwight Howard really doesn't have that much skill yet to be honest, he puts up the #'s but when hes matched up with someone willing to be just as physical as he is (ex: Perk) He is a cry baby who struggles.

[LarBrd33]

I used to like Dwight Howard.  He seems like a fun guy, never gets in trouble and is a very good player.  But after last nights game, I decided that I don't like him.

In the first quarter, he seemed to do some cute move after every play.  He had nice jump hooks with each hand but then after each ran down the court looking at his hand (whichever one it was that just made the basket) like it was magical and he couldn't believe it.  Then he had a dunk and did a little flex pose afterward.  This was like defensive backs breakdancing after they make a routine tackle.  Just do your job.  Grr.

Fortunately, he didn't score again until the 4th quarter, so he didn't get a chance for any more of that.

After hearing some public criticism from SVG about him earlier in the season, it seems Dwight is become another prima donna like LeBron.

I noticed it and was surprised by it.  Thought about it this morning actually... and considered posting about it... but figured someone else would pipe up instead.

I worry that his popularity is getting to his head.  What was with the poses?  Very lame.