LOS ANGELES – It was just a month ago when, after a playoff game like the one he just had – which resulted in a loss – Magic center Dwight Howard criticized his coach Stan Van Gundy's use of him. It is hard to win, Howard said, when a player as dominant as he is only gets no more than 10 shots in a game. Thursday night in the Magic's blowout loss to the Lakers in the tip-off game of the NBA's championship series, Howard got off a grand total of six shots. He made one.
Howard didn't say the obvious after Game 1, but it needs to be pointed out, nonetheless: It will be impossible for the Magic to beat the Lakers with Howard, their most-celebrated player, getting so few shots and hardly making any. But Howard sang a new tune this time.
"I'm not really concerned about the offensive end," he said Friday.
That was the understatement of the day. He should be more than concerned. He should be near panic.
They don't call Howard "Superman" in Orlando for any reason. They call him that because he saves the day, like he did against LeBron James' Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 40-point explosion to close it out.
And the good-natured guy who smiles easily doesn't shy from the moniker. He sported a Superman cape in the dunk contest and allowed the Magic to drape their home arena with a gigantic drape emblazoned with Superman's diamond-enclosed "S."
That was for fun. Now is for real. And the Lakers looked the other night to have found kryptonite for Howard, making him impotent if not invisible.
The Lakers double-teamed Howard, often with two seven-footers, All-Star center Pau Gasol and the prodigious Andrew Bynum. Sometimes they sent the more athletic but 6-10 Lamar Odom to help. Once in a while they employed 6-8 Trevor Ariza.
They all worked. Howard didn't even register one of his thunderous dunks.
"That's a big part of his game," Lakers' coach Phil Jackson said.
"We are going to have to find a way," Van Gundy said, "to get the ball inside more efficiently and be able to play out of that more efficiently."
That is easier said with the pressure the Lakers' perimeter defenders put on the Magic's guards. It was so much pressure that it caused another fissure in the Magic's house. Point guard Rafer Alston complained, not unlike Howard had a month ago, about how Van Gundy underutilized him on Thursday. Alston, who has been filling in much of the season for the injured starting point guard Jameer Nelson, all of a sudden was sharing major minutes with Nelson as he returned to action for the first time in months.
Van Gundy at first dismissed Alston's sniping as an excuse but later admitted that he gave a rusty Nelson too many minutes in such a big game.
Alston said the lost time didn't allow him to establish a rhythm. Neither he nor Nelson penetrated the lane to get the ball to Howard or wide-open shooters too often after the first quarter. That had as big an effect on Howard as the Lakers' double-teams because Howard doesn't score with polished post work. He scores cleaning up after others. He scores with will, something he showed none of in the opener.
Latest NBA Finals Photos
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard breaks into laughter during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Magic play the L.A. Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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The Orlando Magic practice at the Staples Center in preparation for their Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu talks about the changes they must make for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu relaxes before boarding the team bus following practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Magic play the L.A. Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard practices his free throws during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Magic play the L.A. Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis works on his three-point shot during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Magic play the L.A. Lakers in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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L.A. Lakers Pau Gasol talks about their 25 point victory over the Magic in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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L.A. Lakers Lamar Odom, left, and Andrew Bynum, practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Lakers play the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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The L.A. Lakers' Lamar Odom practices at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Lakers play the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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L.A. Lakers Derek Fisher, left, and Andrew Bynum, share a laugh during practice at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, Friday, June 5, 2009. The Lakers play the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)
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Here is an irony that we were reminded of Thursday: defense may win championships, but NBA Defensive Players of the Year – like Howard was this season – rarely do.
Last season was an aberration when Kevin Garnett took home both titles in Boston. (The individual defensive award hadn't been born when Bill Russell's still nonpareil shot-blocking and defensive rebounding was sewing up championship after championship for the Celtics half a century ago.)
Before Garnett, Ben Wallace accomplished the double with the early-millennium Pistons. Hakeem Olajuwon pulled down both honors with the Rockets. Dennis Rodman accomplished the twofer with Chuck Daly's Pistons. And Michael Cooper did it with Magic Johnson's Lakers.
That's it.
That is the club Howard, this season's NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is trying to join. But its history is particularly ominous for him as he and his Magic teammates try to crawl out of this early 0-1 divot – or shallow grave, some of us believe – to the Lakers in this edition of The Finals.
The reason is that all of those defensive honorees who also shared the Larry O'Brien Trophy had something else going for them that Howard does not. All were either potent scorers in the post, or played with prolific scorers all around them.
Garnett is a career 20-point per game scorer with an outside shot and a plethora of post moves that sometimes remind of Olajuwon's patented Dream Shake. Olajuwon was averaging 27 points per game when he was leading the Rockets to consecutive titles.
Rodman played with an Isiah Thomas-Joe Dumars backcourt that scored upwards of 40 a night. Michael Cooper was part of Showtime.
Howard is neither a potent scorer nor surrounded by consistently prolific scorers. Hedo Turkoglu started out Thursday night looking like a nightmare matchup for Ariza, who was guarding him early. He scored nine points in the first quarter. He scored four the rest of the game.
Rashard Lewis, who was a thorn in the Cavaliers' side, couldn't stick a dart in a cork wall from 10 paces.
Mickael Pietrus, who is the so-called Michael Jordan of France, played as you would expect the Michael Jackson of Neverland to do.
Meanwhile, the Lakers cruised to the century mark on the scoreboard.
If Howard doesn't soon show he's taken offense to his team's lack of scoring, and particularly his own, it will be he who will be without defense for his play. Thursday was a time to point the finger at self.
Kevin B. Blackistone is a panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn and the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he lives in Silver Spring, Md
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-06-2009 @ 3:59AM
Giles said...
The last time Howard didn`t get very many shots, he came back with ten offensive rebounds. Hopefully, if his teammates can`t create enough movement on their own to get him the ball for passes/shots, he will create the movement himself. The real Captain Marvel/Super-Man/Black Adam of the Magic, Shaq, would have. As for the Yeddah question, I don`t post anywhere which requires a
password. But the answer is, Wilt Chamberlain was obviously, easily,
the greatest regular season NBA athlete of all time. And in 1955,
Arnold Auerbach wanted to take him straight out of high school, a
year before the Celtics traded to get Bill Russell. He would have
been the Celtic`s starting center, whether they then acquired Russ or
not. A shame there wasn`t much money in the NBA then. Even so, Wilt
should have gone pro, not automatically with Boston, maybe New York,
Philadelphia, whereever. But Jungle Jim Luscutoff (among others),
proved being the best individual in a team sport doesn`t matter much.
Wilt was, even as a rookie, like a man among boys, even compared with
Hall of Fame veterans. But the Celtics started Russell, 6`9,
Heinsohn, 6`7, Luscy, 6`5, 220 lbs., Sharman, 6`2, and Cousy, 6`1.
And brought Sam Jones, 6`4, Frank Ramsey, 6`3, KC Jones, (no first or
middle name) off the bench at guard. Luscy is the ONLY one of the
Celtics starters, wrongly, not chosen to the Hall of Fame. Russ was
the greatest role player in NBA championship history, on the greatest
small ball team in NBA championship history. He never scored over 20
pts. a game. Luscy refused to have his #18 retired, so they put his
name on a banner in the rafters instead, and his number was later
retired, after David Cowens had used it. Other old timers wrongly
passed over for the Hall include Guy Rodgers, point guard, a teammate
of Wilt, and Max Zaslofsky, scoring guard. Luscy was passed over as a
hatchet man. () :-) He was referred to as a thug ON the court, but
teams need defense, not just offense, to win. Ask Russ. And Luscy
won more championships than anyone except a few of his teammates.
Reply
6-06-2009 @ 5:30AM
Giles said...
And Bill Russell, 11 championships, and Jim Loscutoff (an o not a u), 7 championships, are not the only Celtics who were not great scorers, but still are honored in the Celtics rafters for their defense. There is also Satch Sanders, 6`6, 210, 8 championships, as well as Loscy and Russ. Some would say, the Hall should be for shooters only, but what is it teams shoot FOR? Championships. They aren`t as good individually as Wilt, no one comes close to Wilt early in his career, 27 rebounds a game as a rookie, 50 pts a game a few years later. Only center to lead the league in assists. Single season FG% mark of 72.7%! And so on. But Wilt had fewer championships, and that should be considered, too. James is very much like young Wilt, not as good, but a great talent who may win a few championships some day, or may not, but hasn`t yet. And Bryant is trying to be a similar one man wrecking crew, with the help of all-star Pau Gasol and others, against the Magic. But it didn`t work for James this season, and may not for Bryant either. We`ll see. I`ll be glad for whichever team wins. And since Bryant is a free agent this summer, as is coach Jackson, we`ll see if Jackson coaches at all next season, and if so for which team, and see where Bryant plays next season. But the Magic ought to want to win NOW, too. We`ll see if they can.
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6-06-2009 @ 10:31AM
cactusclubber said...
orlando has got to get off the 3 point shooting, they miss 3 times as many as they make, and noone is getting the offensive rebound when they miss...its the same thing over and over...yyou cant expect howard to do everything in the middle,maybe if orlando could start driving to the hoop and picking up some fouls and just stay in the gamewith 2 point plays,this could open up the 3 point shots, but they gotta have 2 down low for the rebound, not gonna stop kobe they gonna have to outscore lakers
Reply
6-06-2009 @ 12:37PM
docwhitmer said...
Dwight Howard is becoming the Terrell Owens of the NBA. I am getting sick of him whining and worrying if the attention is not on him. Be a team player and shut your mouth!!
Reply
6-06-2009 @ 12:43PM
sholomgootzeit said...
Giles, you are a basketball guru. I was a Knick fan, way back when Bill Bradley, Earl the Pearl, Walt Frasier and the rest lit up NY. Russel and the Celtics were certainly the best team then, Chamberlain, the best player. But team ball always beat one dimensional teams. Orlando beat Cleveland with an outside in game, which James could not defeat by himself. Orlando was not ready the other night for the adjustments that Phil made, they will be better when they play again or else the series will be short. If the next game Orlando plays is a close game, I think this will go 7, against Cleveland, Orlando made themselves visible in the third quarters. This team plays better when they have something to prove, so down one in the manner they lost, will remind them how they have to play against a talented LA team. Clearly, I find myself rooting for the dogs. Good luck, Orlando.
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6-06-2009 @ 2:32PM
cabinetec said...
Of course Orlando will win a couple games but if the D that the Lakers displayed in the first game continues Howard may never get on track. He did play badly he was TOTALLY shut down by the Lakers double teaming on him. The old saying Live by the 3 and Die by the 3 is so true for Orlando. They wil not stop Kobe so thier only hope is to outscore the Lakers. They were able to do that twice during regular season but theres not a chance they will be able to do it 4 more times this season.
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6-06-2009 @ 3:20PM
rperry2593 said...
Stick a fork in Olando Jake THEY ARE DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Would have been a much better series between the CAV and LA
Reply
6-06-2009 @ 6:13PM
spensley705 said...
orlando looked sorry, but it ain't over yet... huge Laker fan, best player in the game is Kobe, and his great teammates, magic do not have an answer, and won't... be real surprised if they win ONE game in this series, if Kobe keeps his team focused like he did in game one. GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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6-06-2009 @ 9:16PM
speeddemon4520 said...
That is the club Howard, this season's NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is trying to join. But its history is particularly ominous for him as he and his Magic teammates try to crawl out of this early 0-1 divot – or shallow grave, some of us believe – to the Lakers in this edition of The Finals.
At LEAST Blackstone didn't blame it on racism or call someone a racist for a change(Hey blackstone Hedo looks light skinned did you miss that?Just tired of Blackstone calling others names,that makes him look like the racist by doing that all the time)...He did seem a little bigoted towards the Magic but that is expected as most of the MEDIA are. I'll still root for the underdog Magic even if the rest of the people including Washington hypocrites are bandwagoning on the LAKERS!! Oh let me think duhhhh I wil pick the favorite team so I look intelligent and wise duhhhhhh
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6-06-2009 @ 9:23PM
speeddemon4520 said...
Wow how hypocritical can you be? In case you haven't noticed over the many yearsKOBE has been the biggest whiner for yearssssssss.Dude whines even more then Shaq1! waahhhh I am not getting my way I am going to quit,whaaaaaa my center is a big dumm trade him,whaaaa I am not getting the ball enough(even though I am shooting it over 50% of te time) whaaaaaa I just wet myself,whaaaaaaa let me elbow some more players in the face,whaaaaaa people are saing Lebron is better then me,whaaaaaaa where is my milk? I just spilt It and now I am crying over spilled MILK. haha did you see the movie MILK? I didn't but KOBE sure looks like him. =D big crybaby poor baby awwwwwwww
Reply
6-06-2009 @ 10:37PM
Giles said...
Thanks, Sho. I hoped it might be a good time to try to provide a little historical perspective. I don`t know where or why Bill Russell spent the first half of his rookie season away from the Celts. He was 6`9 1/2, 210, so I doubt he was playing football, and the Olympics and baseball were over. But once Boston got him, the obviously didn`t need Wilt. But in `55, he would have been very useful. And the Knicks were starting 6`6 Harry Gallatin at center, so moving him to forward to make room for Wilt would have been wonderful for Manhatten. But maybe Wilt has been dead long enough to have a less dishonest version of the Chamberlain vs. Loscutoff debate. It was Loscy the Celts took #4 in `55 when they would have used the territorial pick to sing Wilt if he hadn`t wrongly, for several reasons, chosen Kansas U. over the nba because it paid so little back then. He should have started early and been a part time Ivy Leaguer. Maybe he`d have had Kareem like accomplishments, four years younger, those first four years, then blended in more like the Wilt we knew, then continued with more Kareem like accomplishments after the legal battles forced him to retire early. Alass, we`ll never know. James is probably kicking his own bottom now, feeling if he were only an average mid and long range shooter, his team would be champs not chumps. He shouldn`t. He did his best. That is all anyone can do. And 38, 8, and 8 averages are none too shabby. If the Magic roar back, like they did against the Cavs., Bryant will be a loser, too. Won`t be his fault. You can be sure he`ll do his best. And while he is a lousy role model, despite the fact the rape charges were dropped because he was innocent, half of Americans are 5 times worse, cheating on 5 marriages, where, so far, he has only cheated on one. He isn`t paid to be perfect, he`s paid to try to win ball games, and does. Blame the hype on the media, it comes out of them, not James or Bryant. Howard could take lessons from those curl cuts Jerry Lucas used to run. He couldn`t jump like Russ, so he moved without the ball like his Ohio State U. teammate, John Havlicek. Didn`t put in enough years, but had an excellent rebounding average. Shame he, and many others, especially among the old timers, didn`t play longer, like the 22 years of Robert Parish and 20 years of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and 19 years of little John Stockton. Teamwise, I`m rooting for the Magic, and Van Gundy, but coach Jackson is running out of time. Bryant doesn`t need #4 nearly as much as Jackson needs #10, from my point of view. But as long as both teams play great basketball, I guess I`ll be happy with either result.
Reply
6-07-2009 @ 2:49AM
spensley705 said...
hey speeddemon4520, are you by any chance a cavs fan??? just wondering? Whaaaaaa, poorsport Lebron, gonna cry all the way to the Knicks? BOOOO HOOOOO, I don't want to shake hands with the better team, what a LOSER. Shaq was and still is a gigantic dick. good riddance, good on ya Kobe for saying goodbye to that piece. Kobe will be holding that trophy when all is done, for the fourth time btw, and your loser Lebron will be holding his unit... and just wait to see how long he takes to start crying about the lack of support he had, and opting out of his contract with the cavs...WHAAAAAA!!!
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