NBA: Impact of Dwight Howard on the Houston Rockets

Dwight Howard currently with the Houston Rockets is mentally and physically in his best condition.

Howard is putting up big numbers, running without any back problems and looks happier in Houston than he ever did last season with the Lakers. He has all the rights to be delighted, after all his team is better placed than his previous team was the same time last year. With the Lakers, he was winless through the first five games of the season, but it’s been a different and better story this season for the 6 feet 11 inches big man.

Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets are 5-3 in 8 games after two weeks in the NBA. All three losses coming against Los Angeles teams, 2 against the Clippers and a close loss to Howard’s former team the Lakers. But the point to be noted here is that all their five wins have been against teams who did not have a winning record last season.

So has Howard made a positive or negative impact in Houston?

It’s too early to predict but it would certainly help you make up your mind when everything is presented to you.

Positives

Anybody who has seen Dwight Howard play through his years at Orlando would know that his level of play often depends on his demeanor on the court. If that is anything to go by, the signs are all positive.

As mentioned earlier he looks happier and looks way healthier than he ever did with the Lakers. He is a year and half removed from major back surgery and is coming off a satisfying and fulfilling off-season. He has made a decision for the future and is coming off the back of a summer training schedule he has been previously accustomed to.

The signs have started to turn into figures. He is once again among the leaders in rebounding averaging 14.9, ranking second behind Kevin Love’s 15 rebounds per game. He is back to being dominant on the boards, he opened the season with a career high 26 boards on opening night against the Charlotte Bobcats.

He is running the floor well; attacking the rim aggressively like we know him to and most of all he has been a huge factor in the Rockets’ better defense in the paint. With each game, the chemistry of the team takes a stride forward and for Howard to be successful, it is vital to understand what he must give to the team and can expect in return.

His presence in the post allows Houston to set up their half court offensive with excellent perimeter shooters around him, something they failed to do last season due to the lack of a good low post scorer.

Negatives

His perennial struggle at the free throw line has accompanied him every year and with every team. His failure to convert free throws cost the Rockets the game against the Lakers and the home game against the Clippers.

His free throw misses late in games could turn out to be a huge bane for the Houston Rockets

In the fourth quarter of the game against the Lakers, Howard shot 5-12 from the charity stripe allowing the purple and gold to make a late run to eventually win the game. His ineffectiveness has made him a victim of the “Hack-A-Howard” late in the game allowing the opponent teams to make the game a closer contest.

Head Coach Kevin McHale cannot bench him at such a crucial point him in the game, given his excellent defensive abilities in the paint so it wouldn’t be wise to play without him.

Although he has been a major addition to the Rockets team defense, his performance this season has been only a shadow of the player who won Defensive Player of the Year honours with the Orlando Magic. He doesn’t rank in the top 5 players this season in blocks per game which is quite unusual and unpardonable given the kind of talent he possesses.

Despite improving chemistry with his teammates, Howard has failed to connect with his front court partner Omer Asik. Opposing teams would give Asik the weak side jumper any day of the week and in doing so are able to over help on Howard in the post which constrict his posts to one side of the floor.

Final Word

Howard joined the Rockets after a lot of thought in the offseason, so somewhere deep down he feels there is a potential for him and the team to grow together. So making an issue of the early season negatives would be unfair and unjust.

The biggest issue Howard and the Rockets will face is his ineffectiveness from the free throw line. This is an ongoing issue in Howard’s career; however some solution has to be found to combat this weakness to prevent losing games the Rockets are in command of.

The biggest positive to keep in mind is Howard’s health and heading into the season his vastly improved health both physically and mentally will be a key factor on his performance. He is a key addition to this Rockets roster. He gives them the defensive presence in the help, something they missed last season.

It is important to remember that Houston are yet to rise up to the challenge from a stiff team and their performance against good teams is what they will ultimately be judged on.