Why the Hack a Dwight Didnt work in Game 2?

[Rondo2287]

While we all saw the, "Hack a Dwight," strategy work in game one, it didnt work as well in game two.  In game one we saw the Celts playing tough one on one D on dwight and then fouling him if they got beat. 

In game two, I saw the celt's say, "Oh well, we are going to foul him anyways," and it seemed like the defensive intensity wasnt there. To me it seemed like alot of the fouls on Howard in game 2 were because of slow rotations from the defense.

What do you think?  I think if they play with the same intensity in game one it will work in game three, but if they play like they did in game 2 it will just get us into deep foul trouble again.

[wdleehi]

I think Howard did a better job on offense as well.


They pointed it out on TV that in game one, he was fading on his shots.  In game two, he was going stronger and straight up.  Made a difference in the offense. 

[Roy Hobbs]

I agree with that.  The team was letting Dwight get a lot better position last night.  Some of that was probably due to intensity, a bit.  However, in fairness, Howard is a great player and he and the Magic made adjustments.

Two other reasons "Hack a Howard" didn't work last night:

1) He was making his free throws; and

2) The refs called some ticky-tack fouls on our bigs, meaning that Perk (especially) didn't get to use his full complement of fouls defending the interior.

[Rondo2287]

I think Howard did a better job on offense as well.


They pointed it out on TV that in game one, he was fading on his shots.  In game two, he was going stronger and straight up.  Made a difference in the offense. 

I would agree with that too.  Dwight did make many more shots out of the post and looked more comfortable doing it.  I just kinda worry that the celts big got to comfortable with the idea of giving up the fouls because it got so much praise after game 1.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Howard had a soft touch last night.

[Witch-King]

Howard had a soft touch last night.

I saw Howard pull a dream-shake on Kendrick Perkins last night, right before Kendrick fouled-out. My only hope is that he stops imitating Shaquille O'Neal's 'Superman' persona before his contract with Orlando expires because the last place you want someone like Howard is on the best team in the Western Conference; I'm referencing Shaquille O'Neal's tenure with the Lakers, of course.

We should sick 'Krypto-nate' on him, if necessary.

[Kuberski33]

As well as Howard played, he still faded after picking up his 4th foul.  He got tentative.

[Chris]

It didn't work?  I thought it worked great.  Yeah, game 1 looked better because Howard didn't score, but to me, the Hack a Dwight isn't about keeping Howard from scoring, it is about keeping the rest of the Magic from scoring.  It allows them to defend him one on one, and makes him beat them, rather than much more dangerous perimeter players.