Dwight Howard must become even more dominant but without losing...

It nags Dwight Howard everywhere he goes. It will nag him during the summer breeze of '09 and into the fall's chill.

[Mike Kyle]

All this criticism is a joke. He's improved every year. What was Kareems game like at 23? The one change I'd like to see would be for him to quit whining to the refs and get his butt back on D. If I had to pick someone to be a role model for Dwight it would be Bo Outlaw. Think how popular Bo was with his fairly average game. If Dwight can display the same joy for the game, that Bo showed, he'd be the most popular player in the NBA. We're tired of punks.

[JEC]

I say lose the smile on the court and get tough. I think it is more mental than it is a game. Shaq missed and misses freethrows to this day and well... he has 4 rings. I've seen those twitter pictures just 2-3 days after the finals. I'd be a little more in thought for a game plan then putting up pictures with a puppet.

[Orlando Tragic]

Orlando lost in the finals because dwight needs a better supporting cast.Lewis and turkey are soft. Dwight needs a kobe/d-wade side kick with that cant/wont lose attitude.By the enjoy the fishing trip tragic players.

[Forrest Trump]

Orlando Tragic wrote:

Orlando lost in the finals because dwight needs a better supporting cast.Lewis and turkey are soft. Dwight needs a kobe/d-wade side kick with that cant/wont lose attitude.By the enjoy the fishing trip tragic players.

Oh please I do admit Lewis and Turk are for the most part soft. But Dwight needs to improve his post game and be more reliable on offense. How many times have the magic won games without D12 having a dominant offensive game? They won plenty of times. Fact is Dwight needs to expand his offensive game for the Magic to take it to the next level. If he's gonna be our #1 option, he needs to develop his post game and some kind of jumper.

[Lunasea]

Great column, George. Dwight is such a nice guy with that winning smile that lights the place up. I'm glad he has this summer to focus on himself, honing his game and figuring out what needs to be done. And he'll do it. I trust it, believe in it and would bet the bank on it. I can't wait to see how Dwight and the Magic evolve as we move forward. We've got work to do, but we'll get it done. I feel it in my heart. And nope - there will be no Kobe or Lebron lunchbox for our Superman. He'll get his own.

[magic rock]

go howard show these naysayers what you can do this off season. next year we win a championship.

[chico santana]

magic were robbed by the refs in games 2 and 4. the nba is fixed and corrupted beyond belief. Nfl is not like this , nhl is not like this. mlb is not like this but boxing is corrupted.

[hello]

thanx.!!!!!!!!! for the season. please open register . pay and keep hedo please..........if he goes orlando dont win for the next 20 next years

[George]

All this criticism is a joke. He's improved every year. What was Kareems game like at 23? The one change I'd like to see would be for him to quit whining to the refs and get his butt back on D. If I had to pick someone to be a role model for Dwight it would be Bo Outlaw. Think how popular Bo was with his fairly average game. If Dwight can display the same joy for the game, that Bo showed, he'd be the most popular player in the NBA. We're tired of punks.

----------

First of all I am a Laker fan and if I was Dwight, I would take Kareem's words as constructive criticism. Personally I'm a fan of Dwight Howard,and if he developed a short bank shot a la Tim Duncan and perhaps a short hook shot going to his left a la Abdul Jabbar, he would be unstoppable. Furthermore he should get his free-throw percentage up to around at least 73%. 50 or 60% is just not good enough, that only makes him as good as that other ex-Orlando Center, you know who I'm talking about. At least Howard's got good form, unlike that "other" player.

And last, I'd like to answer Mike Kyle's question as to what Kareem's game was like at 23.
At 23 Kareem already had 3 NCAA Championships under his belt, so if anyone knows what he's talking about, he does, so if I was Howard, I'd listen.

[Basketball IQ]

Orlando Tragic wrote:

Orlando lost in the finals because dwight needs a better supporting cast.Lewis and turkey are soft. Dwight needs a kobe/d-wade side kick with that cant/wont lose attitude.By the enjoy the fishing trip tragic players.

YEah okay, right away....Otis go and get Kobe or Dwade regardless if they probablly arent going to leave their respective teams. Go ahead and rebuild the entire team because they were only good enough to get to the finals. What a bunch of loser...So Orlando Tragic, what was your team doing during the playoffs?

I mean there are plenty of Kobe/Wade in FA or in the draft....How stupid can you be dude?

[Basketball IQ]

George wrote:

All this criticism is a joke. He's improved every year. What was Kareems game like at 23? The one change I'd like to see would be for him to quit whining to the refs and get his butt back on D. If I had to pick someone to be a role model for Dwight it would be Bo Outlaw. Think how popular Bo was with his fairly average game. If Dwight can display the same joy for the game, that Bo showed, he'd be the most popular player in the NBA. We're tired of punks.
----------
First of all I am a Laker fan and if I was Dwight, I would take Kareem's words as constructive criticism. Personally I'm a fan of Dwight Howard,and if he developed a short bank shot a la Tim Duncan and perhaps a short hook shot going to his left a la Abdul Jabbar, he would be unstoppable. Furthermore he should get his free-throw percentage up to around at least 73%. 50 or 60% is just not good enough, that only makes him as good as that other ex-Orlando Center, you know who I'm talking about. At least Howard's got good form, unlike that "other" player.
And last, I'd like to answer Mike Kyle's question as to what Kareem's game was like at 23.
At 23 Kareem already had 3 NCAA Championships under his belt, so if anyone knows what he's talking about, he does, so if I was Howard, I'd listen.

I dont think Dwight should worry about what Kareem says. The fact is, everyone outside of Orlando talks about how "under developed" his game is yet he puts up 20 and 15 a night and has the most 20/20 games of ANY player in the league including those that are supposed to be better than him.

LA had to double and triple team Howard because NOBODY in LA's front court can stop him. If he was so predictable then guard him one on one.

Ewing and the coaching staff have done a hell of a job. Dwight has always been able to score with just his athletic ability. What was really hurting him was his inability to pass out of the double teams without turing the ball over.

Ewing and Co. taught him a couple go to moves so teams can just double/triple him down low AS EASY..The little things that he improved on that people with out knowledge of the sport beyond who Kobe and Dwade are.......(Orlando Tragic, I'm talking to you, you idiot.) Is passing out of the double team, that improved tremndously not only throughout the season but during the playpoffs as well.

At that point it's the other players responsibility to hit those wide open shots. Jackson did a great job of playing the percentages by doubling Turk on pick and roles, and howard down low with Fisher and kobe. He allowed Rafer a 35% three point shooter or Lee, a rookie. If a full strength Jameer was in there that would have never happened.

Jameer didnt lose the series for us, missed FT's and wide open shots did. In the mean time Kareem needs to work on Bynums game...oh wait he's pretty much hit his ceiling...too bad.

[Basketball IQ]

George wrote:

I'd like to answer Mike Kyle's question as to what Kareem's game was like at 23.
At 23 Kareem already had 3 NCAA Championships under his belt, so if anyone knows what he's talking about, he does, so if I was Howard, I'd listen.

*sarcasm*Right so he was in college.......Not the pro's....got it. Thanks for clarifying that Kareem hadn't even gone pro yet...Your right Dwight should listen...*sarcasm*

[George]

Basketball IQ wrote:

<quoted text>
*sarcasm*Right so he was in college.......Not the pro's....got it. Thanks for clarifying that Kareem hadn't even gone pro yet...Your right Dwight should listen...*sarcasm*

It's not sarcasm idiot, it's a fact, meaning that Kareem had the advantage of developing his game prior to coming into the NBA. Howard just has to catch up, I personally feel that he'll be better than Shak, but he's got to have the right mentors around him. What did Patrick Ewing ever accomplish, One NCAA Title?

[George]

George wrote:

<quoted text>
It's not sarcasm idiot, it's a fact, meaning that Kareem had the advantage of developing his game prior to coming into the NBA. Howard just has to catch up, I personally feel that he'll be better than Shak, but he's got to have the right mentors around him. What did Patrick Ewing ever accomplish, One NCAA Title?

I will add that on top of the 3 NCAA Championships with UCLA, Kareem is a 5 time NBA Champion.

[Basketball IQ]

George wrote:

<quoted text>
It's not sarcasm idiot, it's a fact, meaning that Kareem had the advantage of developing his game prior to coming into the NBA. Howard just has to catch up, I personally feel that he'll be better than Shak, but he's got to have the right mentors around him. What did Patrick Ewing ever accomplish, One NCAA Title?

No idiot..I was being sarcastic. Thanks for pointing out what Jabbar did in the past.

[Sammy]

George wrote:

<quoted text>
It's not sarcasm idiot, it's a fact, meaning that Kareem had the advantage of developing his game prior to coming into the NBA. Howard just has to catch up, I personally feel that he'll be better than Shak, but he's got to have the right mentors around him. What did Patrick Ewing ever accomplish, One NCAA Title?

Patrick accomplished escaping Jamaica and becoming quite a player.

[Sammy]

Who the heck now is going to mentor Howard these days? Jabbar? Russel?Ralph Sampson? Manute bol Georgie Muresan?The centre position hasn't had a decent centre drafted since Shaq(not shak).
Come on now Patrick is a good fit period. Obviously ts working.
next

[Sammy]

George wrote:

All this criticism is a joke. He's improved every year. What was Kareems game like at 23? The one change I'd like to see would be for him to quit whining to the refs and get his butt back on D. If I had to pick someone to be a role model for Dwight it would be Bo Outlaw. Think how popular Bo was with his fairly average game. If Dwight can display the same joy for the game, that Bo showed, he'd be the most popular player in the NBA. We're tired of punks.
----------
First of all I am a Laker fan and if I was Dwight, I would take Kareem's words as constructive criticism. Personally I'm a fan of Dwight Howard,and if he developed a short bank shot a la Tim Duncan and perhaps a short hook shot going to his left a la Abdul Jabbar, he would be unstoppable. Furthermore he should get his free-throw percentage up to around at least 73%. 50 or 60% is just not good enough, that only makes him as good as that other ex-Orlando Center, you know who I'm talking about. At least Howard's got good form, unlike that "other" player.
And last, I'd like to answer Mike Kyle's question as to what Kareem's game was like at 23.
At 23 Kareem already had 3 NCAA Championships under his belt, so if anyone knows what he's talking about, he does, so if I was Howard, I'd listen.

dude with arms built like a brick house , if Howard even attempt a hook shot. You at home would end up with a ball right on your shnoz. Give me a break his form and agility does not allow him to do this properly. Every players has their own capabilities and swagger. Don't even compare Jabar with Howard. Thats insane. Tell Jabbar his days are over and enjoy watching. This is 2009 things have changed.The game is far quicker today.

[Glenn]

Dwight Howard is starting off another great year. He is averaging 19.6 points and 12 rebounds a game. Orlando's record is 4-1 and they are ranked number three in their conference. If dwight howard keeps this up he will have a another great year and potential shot at the NBA championship again. Dwight Howard is my favorite player because he is a hard worker and if I continue to work hard I can see myself in his postion one day.