Dwight Howard mad about Kobe / LeBron puppets, puts up skunk in NBA Finals

Tyler on 06 6, 2009

Dwight Howard was sick of it. Sick of all the LeBron-Kobe hoopla as the NBA Finals neared. So what did Dwight do? He and his teammates went in and stole game 1, taking momentum from the hot Cavs, and then went on to take the series from the “destined” LeBron squad. They proved to be too long, too athletic, too deep, and most evidently too dynamic. So with the momentum from beating the regular season’s best team, Superman and the Magic would roll in and pose a match up problem yet again, right? WRONG.

Dwight mustered a weak (it’s ridiculous we can consider this weak, but true) 12 point, 15 rebound game. The Lakers made him play with his back to the basket, never considered his forte, double teaming him on the dribble. The Magic then failed to use their trump card season year, the 3-point shot, to punish the Lakers. They were consistently run off their jump shots, or faced to lay one on one. Dwight took only 6 shots from the field, making a measly 1. Howard provided ample evidence for the reason that he should not be considered at the level of Kobe or LeBron. His inability to find ways to put the ball in the basket allowed the Lakers to stay on the Magic’s jump shooters enough to challenge jump shots.

As a big man, with his touches depending on other players, can Dwight be “The Guy”? Superman did muster 2 blocks and 2 steals in the game 1 destruction, but his pick and roll defense, helping on Kobe, left much to be yearned for. This translated to a quarter in which Kobe single-handedly out produced the Orlando Magic, eventually leading to their demise. Dwight was bothered by the Lakers size. What kind of drive does this kid have being pushed around by a gangly Spaniard, a self-conscious 21 year old, and a sugar loving, inconsistently motivated Rhode Island alum?

Dwight threw oil on the fire in a post game interview, saying his team didn’t bring the energy and effort necessary. How do you not bring the energy to an NBA Finals Game 1? Why would you admit to that? Something is wrong with this picture. Stan Van Gundy, not exactly the model for wisdom, has been thoroughly out-coached in game 1, and his Superstar big man is self-proclaiming a lack of effort. The Magic are getting beaten in every facet of the game, and it’s on the back of Kobe Bryant, letting Dwight “Superman” Howard know exactly what he lacks.

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