Is the New Dwight Howard an Upgrade from the Old One?
The Dwight Howard of 2013-14 certainly isn't the same Dwight Howard from his days with the Orlando Magic, and while the Houston Rockets are likely thrilled with his current production, I'm sure they would be even happier if he turned back the clock just a bit and played a little more like he used to.
On the season, Howard is averaging 17.3 points and 12.9 rebounds in 34.0 minutes per game. He has given the Rockets a force in the interior, blocking 2.2 shots per game as well. Rebounding-wise, the Rockets rely on him to force second-chance opportunities offensively and prevent the opposition from getting good looks in the paint.
This Howard is a strikingly different one than the one we saw in Orlando, though. The 10th-year man picks his spots more on both offense and defense. No longer does he throw his body into the fire on every offensive or defensive possession. That's not to say that he isn't trying on every play, but it does look as if he takes a breather on every couple of possessions.
That can't be explained by playing too many minutes per contest. His current mark of 34.0 minutes per game is his lowest since his rookie season in 2004-05, and head coach Kevin McHale has done a fantastic job of rotating him in and out with the likes of Omer Asik and Donatas Motiejunas.
Howard is still just 28 years old, but he does have decent mileage on his body. Playing the center position for over nine seasons will do that to a player. Especially a player known for his physicality like Howard.
Relative to his old self, though, Howard appears sluggish at times. Mind you, that's relative to his old self. Howard is still a far superior athlete to nearly 90 percent of today's NBA, but he used to be on par with LeBron James in terms of athleticism. Not anymore.
The back surgery that ended his career in Orlando definitely contributed to this new Howard. In his only season with the Los Angeles Lakers, last year, Howard put up good numbers but wasn't exactly what L.A. was expecting.
The Lakers were hoping for the guy who would average 20-15 per night, dominate the interior and bring their team over the hump. Instead, they got a 17-12 player who didn't always contest shots and was more of a headache than a help.
While the Rockets would obviously love to have a guy who goes for 20-15 each night, they should be happy at how well Howard has embraced the pick-and-roll offense that McHale has put into place. This offense is one of the reasons why Howard is picking his spots more with Houston, because he knows that there will be plays that run through him on multiple occasions.
He's also getting a lot better at adopting the pacing of the Rockets. Houston loves to run the floor, but they've enacted more half-court sets with him on the roster. Running the floor every single play takes a toll on big men, and that's likely a reason why Howard has appeared sluggish at times.
Despite his seemingly successful adaptation to the Rockets, Howard needs revert to his old ways—just a little. While he's been great in leading Houston to an 11-5 record, the Howard that used to sacrifice his body and make highlight plays night after night can bring this team even more success.
Howard was signed by Houston with the intent of him being a game-changer. Sure, he's changed the culture a bit with the Rockets, but he's yet to be a game-changer. One can argue that Terrence Jones has been more of one thus far given his hot streak over the past few weeks.
The new Howard is no upgrade from the old one, but that's not to say he's a bad player. Actually, far from it. He's a more mature player now that does pick his spots. That's not to say that Houston doesn't want to see a little of the old him now and then, though.
All Houston needs is for Howard to get hot and stay hot. If he can revert back to his form from the mid-2000s, then the Western Conference better watch out; Houston might just be the team to beat.
