| 29 August 2010
Dwight Howard's decision to sit out the World Championships
have led to more doubts from the national media.
Phil Walter/Getty Images/PicApp
If you watched Saturday's World Basketball Championship rout of Croatia by the United States, you might wonder: "Hmm, maybe Team USA did not need Dwight Howard." Rest assured though, even with Spain's loss in the team's first game to France, the American's roster deficiency will appear at some time.
It is not a deficiency of talent for sure. With Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose, there is plenty of talent to lead the team in scoring and employ the team's signature press defense.
It is a deficiency of experience and quality big men. Lamar Odom and Tyson Chandler are the only players on the team with international experience at the national team level. And Tyson Chandler is the only pure center on the roster -- and Odom is starting in the middle.
It is not like everyone did not know this problem was coming. David Lee got hurt in training camp and Amar'e Stoudemire could not get his contract insured in time to participate. That means there is only one person to blame for the National Team's lack of post presence and maybe the Achilles heel that keeps the country from winning its first World Championship since 1994.
The national media's favorite whipping boy: Dwight Howard.
Surely Dwight Howard, he of the two-time Defensive Player of the Year Awards, two conference finals appearances and one NBA Finals appearance, is the missing ingredient for Team USA. And surely Team USA, with whom Howard won a bronze at the 2006 World Championships, is exactly what Howard needed to reach that next step and become the league's most dominating force (not that he isn't already).
To the chagrin of Magic fans, the national media does not yet seem to be on Howard's side. There is definitely a perception about Dwight Howard in the national media especially that will not seem to go away. the latest contention is that Howard needed the reps as the best player in big games with Team USA. So being the best player on the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals the last two years is not good enough?
Ultimately the criticisms come down to Howard's demeanor on the court. A lot of national commentators complain about Howard's bubbly smile on the court and wish he had a Shaquille O'Neal-like glare as he dunked over you. It led to Sports Illustrated writing an article to preview the 2009 Playoffs with the headline: "Too Much Fun: Can the Magic's Dunk Machine Get Serious for a Moment?"
This, you could argue, was the same complaint they had about the staid expression of Tim Duncan. He is only arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history. His titles have also quieted much of the criticism.
So until Howard wins that first title, he will continue to face these criticisms. Howard gets admittedly frustrated by all the criticism thrown his way, especially since what he is good at goes largely unappreciated.
But the one criticism that could wrankle Magic fans most is the argument that Howard is not an "Alpha Dog" and needed the reps as Team USA's best player to take back to the Magic. Fans have been divided on this issue throughout the summer.
It might be nice to have Howard be "the man" on Team USA until you remember he was not really much of a factor on offense during the 2008 Olympic run. Even when he got post up attempts, other teams were able to swarm him. And while he was still very effective on defense, it was limited because so many European big men are able to step out and hit from the international 3-point line. While Howard, Durant and Rose would make an unstoppable team, Team USA is not what Howard needs now.
Playing for Team USA would not help Howard develop offensively. The rules in FIBA basketball are too different for big men and it is debatable by how much Howard needs to improve his post games. Most Magic fans, I think, would argue Howard is a much better offensive player than the national media give him credit for. Although Howard still has plenty of room for improvement -- especially at the free throw line.
The Alpha Dog theory has gained momentum as everyone wonders who is "The Man" in Miami -- Dwyane Wade, by the way. The question for Howard is: Does he have the will to carry a team across the finish line?
He has shown flashes of it.
The impressive triple double he had in Oklahoma City two years ago and his constant presence defensively change games in a way no player can. His performance in Game Six of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals where he out-LeBron'ed LeBron James and dominated the post like every Magic fan expected him too. It is there.
But his performance in the 2009 NBA Finals, where the Lakers threw big men Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol at him to slow him down, and the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals, where Howard played well but obviously did not win.
Howard simply does not have the demeanor of the typical Alpha Dog. He is not wildly pumping his fists like Kobe Bryant or methodically breaking down his opponents like Tim Duncan. Basketball is his passion, but for him it is fun. That is no knock on Howard. You cannot begrudge him simple joys and his way of expressing it. Some guys just don't have that killer instinct gene inside of them -- *cough* LeBron James.
That does not make him any worse of a player and that does not preclude him from being in the top five best players in the league. What matters is what he does when the chips are down. And right now the results are mixed and he has not shown the ability to convert on free throws enough to carry his team across the finish line in close games.
I think we all agree that is the only part the Magic really want to see change. What we all want to see Howard do is come into a big game and know he is going to have a huge game offensively and defensively.
So far, we know he is going to be incredible on defense. It is half of the game, but does not generate the stats that casual fans like to see -- although Howard produces some staggering defensive numbers. Offensively, yes Howard has a ways to go to get to the 20-25 point per game mark fans expect from their "Alpha Dogs" of the league. But that distance is cut in half if he can figure out how to shoot free throws consistently. Who needs a refined post game when still the only way to defend Howard is to foul him?
So does Howard need to be playing with Team USA to get "Alpha Dog" reps? Absolutely not. He may not have the barking Alpha Dog mentality of a guy like Kobe Bryant, but he has his place on the team as the leader by example (it is Jameer Nelson who gets in everyone's ear and teammates listen to).
And surely after last year's early playoff exit, he is preparing to step his game to an entirely different level.
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