Yes, Dwight can be a prima donna. Yes, he may have gotten Van Gundy fired. But , as you recognize, he is clearly the best center in the league. His career averages are 18 pts., 13 boards and over 2 blocks a game. He's led the league in rebounding 5 times. He is a dominant force on the court. Last year, coming off a major back injury, he still posted a strong season (17 pts. and 12 boards, 2.5 blocks per game). And, for the most part, Dwight has been relatively healthy, playing over 78 games in a season 7 times. Yes, as you pointed out, he is seriously flawed as a foul shooter. An aspect of his game he needs to improve.
Only time will tell if the Rockets made the right choice investing in Howard. The true test will be when they are down in a series. Can Dwight raise the level of the team and fight through adversity? So far, he hasn't shown that he can. Maybe at age 27 things will be different.
There are a lot of good teams in the West that will only get better with more experience (OKC, Clippers, Memphis, Golden State, Nuggets) and of course the "old men" in San Antonio will always be a tough out...Heck, I didn't mention the Lakers who based on their historical pedigree can never be counted out. So its going to be hard for the Rockets to even get to the finals. But getting Dwight was a move the Rockets had to make...you do not often get the opportunity to get a player as gifted as Howard, in his prime, via free agency.
-- Modified on 7/26/2013 1:56:06 AM