Stopping Dwight Howard

by Jeff Clark on Jan 28, 2010 7:04 AM EST in Boston Celtics News & Links

The key to stopping the Magic is slowing down Dwight Howard. Nobody does that better than the Celtics and in particular Kendrick Perkins.

Magic still Green from Xmas - BostonHerald.com

Kendrick Perkins had a good series against Magic star center Dwight Howard, but his work is only enhanced with Garnett and Rasheed Wallace.

"There’s not a better low-post defensive team in the league than Boston," Van Gundy said. "I think they’ve got three of the premier interior defenders in the league, with Perkins and Rasheed Wallace and Garnett in there. They don’t really drop off when they have to go to the bench. (They’re) all big strong guys with good defensive technique, and they have played (Howard) very, very well.

"Said Howard of Perkins, "He's a big body, but I can't allow what he does on the floor to affect my game."

When Perkins' physical play was mentioned, Howard sniffed, "A lot of guys are physical. Just certain guys get away with physical play."

Sounds like Perkins is in Dwight's head a little bit, doesn't it? Sure, blame the refs Dwight.

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perk will do what the refs let him do. getting physical means lots of body contact and refs’ interpretations. howard is a bully down low and gets away with more because he’s a league fancy boy.big cat davis and shelden can help us if perk and sheed get into foul trouble. let kg stay with their 3 point shooter.

by nazzbo on Jan 28, 2010 7:57 AM EST reply actions

Technically Yao defends Howard better than anyone else in the NBA, not Perkins

Are those “fancy boy” calls you accuse Howard of getting anything like “Super Star” calls? The same ones your boy Pierce gets everytime he initiates contact? Do you think Perkins would get away with the same physical play, namely the bump he gives Howard on most of his shot attempts, on a non title-contending team?

by Warlando on Jan 28, 2010 12:42 PM EST up reply actions

Irony

must be lost on Howard. “Get away with physical play…” Hmmm, sounds right up your alley, Dwight.

by Berkcelt on Jan 28, 2010 8:14 AM EST reply actions

Yes Perk

does a very nice job on Howard since he plays very physical defense on him.
Perk vs. Howard will be a big important match up if we face Orlando in the playoffs.

Also lets keep in mind Rasheed with his length and bulk has a history of playing Howard very well defensively which will also come in very hand come playoff time when he backs up Perk.

by fordescort on Jan 28, 2010 9:03 AM EST reply actions

Howard is already working the refs.

The guys who can handle Howard are the guys have any sort of decent length and strength and who simply decide to not be intimidated by him. That is why both Perk and ’Sheed have good history against him.

by mmmmm on Jan 28, 2010 9:53 AM EST reply actions

I am not a howard fan

I think he whines far too much (along with his coach) and frankly is not all that talented, just a beneficiary of the league having so few true centers left.

With that being said, as the reigning DPOY he was asked how he would rank this year so far and he had perkins above himself…. pretty classy move.

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4671331/how-does-the-defensive-player-of-the-year-rank-perk

"Take it to the hoop, there's a dance involved." - DJ Tommy

by WillyBeamin on Jan 28, 2010 10:06 AM EST reply actions

Only Shaq & Yao know how it is

Dwight gets fouled more often and harder than any other player on a consistent basis. When he gets doubled and someone gets whistled a lot of the time he gets fouled by both players. Another popular cheap shot on Dwight is when someone hits him late after a whistle has already been blown. Name me a current NBA player that gets fouled in the shoulder/neck/head area more often than Dwight.

DPOTY, 1 of only 5 players to lead the NBA in rebounds + blocks in the same season, record 9 blocks in an NBA Finals game, 2 time All-NBA 1st team, 1 time All Defensive 1st team 1st team & the rebounding + block records he’s set for the youngest player to do so. 265lb guy with a 38" vertical and one the most creative contest dunkers ever. He’s a 12-14 foot jumper & a 7%-9% increase in FT away from being one of the most complete and dominant players in the history of the NBA.

I understand he’s the best player on a rival team but calling him “not all that talented”? Tsk-tsk.

by Warlando on Jan 28, 2010 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

People intentionally foul Howard for a very simple reason.

He’s a 60% career FT shooter.

by mmmmm on Jan 28, 2010 2:13 PM EST up reply actions

Indeed

But he did shoot 67% his rookie season and his mechanics are very decent. I see no reason he can’t shoot 67% – 69% every season. I know freethrows in practice are different than in a game but he hits them in practice (he made 80 in a row last week in practice). I assume he runs sprints before shooting them to try and duplicate the fatigue. I think Dwight’s FT struggles are more mental than anything. He’s shooting 74% his past 5 games, 65% his past 10 games but alas only 62% for the month. Case in point: His 3 worst FT shooting games htis month are 3-10, 3-8 and 5-12. If he can shake those types of horrofic FT shooting nights he will hover around 67% – 69%. I think he can do it.

by Warlando on Jan 28, 2010 3:04 PM EST up reply actions

Yes, he's a physical beast and amazing athlete.

And he certainly could improve his FT%. Look at Rondo, slowly but surely climbing in that regard.

But until he does, just like Rondo, he will get fouled intentionally late in games.

PS – what the heck does he store inside those two cargo trunks he calls ‘shoulders’? Are those for real? They look like those ‘fake muscle’ silicon implants that guys can get! He is one bizarre looking physical specimen. Does he spend all his spare moments doing military presses?

by mmmmm on Jan 28, 2010 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

Shot yourself in the foot there Willy

Calling Dwight Howard not talented then turns around and says he’s the reigning DPOY. wtf??? I’m a Celtics fan but im not ignorant enough to be calling Dwight “not all that talented”. I would love to have Dwight Howard on the Celtics!!

by Jake P on Jan 28, 2010 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

How is being huge and a freak athlete talent?

Have you seen his low post game? he hasn’t developed a single move in 3+ years of patrick ewing tutoring. He has no jump shot, NO JUMP SHOT whatsoever, even perk can hit a 12 footer.

He is a great help defender, hence the blocks, how often does he have to go against a real low post threat anymore? no one plays on the block, its all up and down. and when he does, perkins is a MUCH better defender 1-on-1 in the block.

And if your backing for his talent is that he won a extremely subjective award… well that’s not much backing at all. He won that award on the fact that he’s a great weak side shot blocker, and on reputation.

When howard matches up against another true center, aka perkins, he is not nearly as dominant as when he matches up against the Joakim Noah and Al horfords of the word. Power fowards playing the center position.

dwight howard is captain of my fraud squad.

"Take it to the hoop, there's a dance involved." - DJ Tommy

by WillyBeamin on Jan 28, 2010 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

For a guy with no talent

He handled Perkins, Sheed & KG with relative ease. Not a single post move in 3+ years of working with Patrick? So the 6 hooks D12 made (using both hands) were something he came up with pre-game?

It’s cool, you obviously have some issues with Dwight that extend beyond the typical hater. Hence you drawing comparison between Dwight and Amare who are/were absolutely nothing alike.

I don’t think you fully understand the Magic’s scheme of using Dwight on defense. He’s the eraser. When a Magic defender gets burned (insert Jameer, J. Will & VC here) Howard erases their mistakes. Howard not a good 1on1 defender? Again, what are you talking about?

I’m not sure what to make of the comment “there are millions of 6ft 2in people out there who can’t do what Rondo does, that’s talent.” You’re comparing Dwight to NBA players but comparing Rondo to every 6’2" average Joe out there? It’s also strange that Rondo is the guy you’re going to use to support your argument of Dwight lacking talent and getting by on athleticism alone. RONDO? Arguably the fastest player in the NBA, a natural rebounder with a big wingspan, a horrible jump shooter, a 20% 3-point shooter and 59% freethrow shooter. That’s the guy you’re going to use to discredit Dwight Howard? Amazing.

Rondo is extremely talented it’s just hilarious that you would choose another freakishly gifted athlete like Dwight Howard and call what that player does “talent” yet call what Dwight does “athleticism”.

by Warlando on Jan 29, 2010 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

saying he doesn't have talent

has no bearing on him being able to rebound and dunk… I would love to have him on the celtics too but it’s not because he has a lot of talent. it’s because he’s a huge freak athelete who can out muscle most players.

i would define talent as being able to do something with your body that the average person that size cannot. most anyone with dwights size and athleticism could rebound, dunk, and block shots. He’d have a lot of talent if he could hit a jumper, dribble, make passes the average person couldn’t. he does none of those things, he simply uses his size.

on the other hand there are millions of 6ft 2in people out there who can’t do what rondo does, that’s talent.

"Take it to the hoop, there's a dance involved." - DJ Tommy

by WillyBeamin on Jan 28, 2010 6:09 PM EST up reply actions

amare stoudamire...

came into the league with a very similair game to howards, he was just a bull, ripping down o-boards and slamming them home. but the difference is stoudamire has some real talent and developed a well rounded offensive game. He can now hit the 15-17 ftr, put the ball on the floor, move without the ball. Howard certainly can’t hit a jumper, cannot put the ball on the floor, and is average at best at moving without the basketball.

No one needs to respect howard anymore than 5 feet from the hoop, anytime he shoots OVER a defender it’s just so so ugly. He is a freak, he does not have a lot of basketball talen.t

"Take it to the hoop, there's a dance involved." - DJ Tommy

by WillyBeamin on Jan 28, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

I'm arguing semantics....

between what is talent and what is just being a specially architeched human being… but to me howard is just the latter.

"Take it to the hoop, there's a dance involved." - DJ Tommy

by WillyBeamin on Jan 28, 2010 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Perk owns Howard

Howard is a great talent there is no doubting it. The thing is, it just so happens that the type of game that Howard excels at, low post scoring, Perk is a master at defending. I have said it many, many times, if you have to defend one player within 4 feet of the basket I will take Perk over anyone else in the league. The guy is just a load, you cant move him and he is an excellent defender in that position and a very good shot blocker. Once you stop Howard, Orlando’s game can become very limited.

by C'sFanDan on Jan 28, 2010 10:56 AM EST reply actions