Dwight Howard is a shell of his former self. It’s harsh when I say that but it’s true. He’s not ‘Orlando Dwight’ anymore. All those DPOY awards are a distant memory. The focus on his offensive prowess has gotten to him and now he’s not even that intimidating a defender anymore.
Former Rockets head coach Kevin McHale has seen Dwight Howard up close and he has some honesty to drop.
“Throw it down to him occasionally, but if you throw it down to him on a steady diet the poor guy just can’t get down low and move any more,” McHale said in an interview on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “I think that back bothered him, his hips are tight from that and he just wasn’t the same player.
“He’s worked hard on it. The kid does work hard on his physical conditioning and trying to get healthy and stuff. But he is not what he used to be down there in the low post. And I think the knee surgery, too.”
The injuries are catching up to him already. The back, the knees, he’s stiff out there and it doesn’t help that the Rockets are treating him terribly, not giving him a clear goal to go for. He doesn’t know whether he’s Harden’s number 2 or just another player. Life isn’t treating Dwight Howard well as a basketball player.
