Can we talk about the impact of Dwight Howard for a second?

[Ohene]

18-7 without him (losing to GSW twice, LAC twice, Portland, Dallas and Detroit)
22-11 with him. (losing to GSW twice , Orlando, New Orleans twice, Chicago, Washington, Memphis, San Antonio)

Even looking at the notable wins in both situations it doesnt seem like theres much of a difference. Now I'm watching this Cavs game and the Rockets are holding their own well.

So I ask...Does Dwight Howard even make a difference for this squad? What was the point of dashing Omer Asik for this nikka in the first place? Dwight might be the most overrated player in the league.

Got me wondering how this team would look with a better PG (Bledsoe maybe) and Omer Asik in the starting lineup.

 

[Regular_P]

He has no impact on them right now and he's untradable.

 

[Ohene]

He has no impact on them right now and he's untradable.

team is gonna be the western atlanta hawks (before this yr i guess) with this squad. will never see past round 2 i dont think

 

[Versa]

They'll need him in the playoffs when the game slows down. That team is sneaky talented. Harden is having an amazing season, Ariza is really good, Josh Smith has been decent, Motiejunas has been good and Terrence Jones is back from injury and producing.

Doesn't surprise me at all that they're still winning, but they're not getting a ring without Dwight.

 

[Ohene]

They'll need him in the playoffs when the game slows down. That team is sneaky talented. Harden is having an amazing season, Ariza is really good, Josh Smith has been decent, Motiejunas has been good and Terrence Jones is back from injury and producing.

Doesn't surprise me at all that they're still winning, but they're not getting a ring without Dwight.

i agree with this. but even still against Memphis, Portland and Golden State there is no way they win a 7 game series. Clippers would be a stressful but winnable series for them. And then OKC and SA ?

Their best ..maybe only bet right now is the Clippers in round one. Doesnt look good for round 2 though.

 

[Regular_P]

team is gonna be the western atlanta hawks (before this yr i guess) with this squad. will never see past round 2 i dont think

If they could spread Dwight's $20-22 million on 2-3 other quality players, they'd have a chance.

Their style of play is too reliant on 3's and layups. You can game plan for them in the playoffs because they're only shooting two different shots every game.

 

[Morose Polymath]

i agree with this. but even still against Memphis, Portland and Golden State there is no way they win a 7 game series. Clippers would be a stressful but winnable series for them. And then OKC and SA ?

Their best ..maybe only bet right now is the Clippers in round one. Doesnt look good for round 2 though.

I could see them beating Golden State and Portland in a 7 game series, they gettin their shyt lumped against Memphis tho

 

[Ohene]

If they could spread Dwight's $20-22 million on 2-3 other quality players, they'd have a chance.

Their style of play is too reliant on 3's and layups. You can game plan for them in the playoffs because they're only shooting two different shots every game.

Bench is lacking as well. Playoff rotations are typically only 3 men off the bench. But Brewer, Josh Smith, Terry,and I guess Montiejunas?



1st round exit. They gotta do better by James Harden man

 

[duckbutta]

They are going to need him in the playoffs on the defensive end and on the boards...

Once a big guy gets rolling against them Howard is the only person they got on the roster big enough to slow that person down...

They fukk around and have to play Memphis Zbo and Gasol might fukk around and average 25 a piece for the series...

Regular season ball vs playoff basketball are totally different...you not coming out the west without at least 2 legit bigs...

 

[Ohene]

I could see them beating Golden State and Portland in a 7 game series, they gettin their shyt lumped against Memphis tho

Golden State with a healthy Bogut...6 game series in my opinion at worst.

 

[Morose Polymath]

Golden State with a healthy Bogut...6 game series in my opinion at worst.

I think with a HEALTHY DWIGHT, he could neutralize Bogut and Houston has all the tools and deep enough bench to give GS problems and I think McHale could our coach Kerr in a seven game series.

 

[Ohene]

They are going to need him in the playoffs on the defensive end and on the boards...

Once a big guy gets rolling against them Howard is the only person they got on the roster big enough to slow that person down...

They fukk around and have to play Memphis Zbo and Gasol might fukk around and average 25 a piece for the series...

Regular season ball vs playoff basketball are totally different...you not coming out the west without at least 2 legit bigs...

Only thing is that in the west, a lot of teams they have to worry about dont have prominent big men running the show. Outside of Memphis (who would WORK em) a lot of the west's star players work from the outside. Lamarcus Aldridge, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant. All these players score mostly from outside the paint .

 

[Ohene]

I think with a HEALTHY DWIGHT, he could neutralize Bogut and Houston has all the tools and deep enough bench to give GS problems and I think McHale could our coach Kerr in a seven game series.

fair enough. Thats certainly a good matchup with Beverly d-ing Curry but Harden doesnt play well against GSW. I think Green and Klay could continue to neutralize Harden quiet easily to be honest.

Only team with a chance to beat GSW IMO is Memphis.

Ive been saying it all season that Cleveland and GSW is the finals but Memphis is gonna be a problem

 

[EA]

Dwight hasn't been healthy this season and even still, he's clearly lost a step since his herniated back issue. He doesn't get as much lift when he jumps and his lateral quickness on defense doesn't look at quick as it used to be.

 

[duckbutta]

Only thing is that in the west, a lot of teams they have to worry about dont have prominent big men running the show. Outside of Memphis (who would WORK em) a lot of the west's star players work from the outside. Lamarcus Aldridge, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant. All these players score mostly from outside the paint .

GS couldn't hurt them...

If OKC ACTUALLY starts moving the ball then they big men could be a problem in the playoffs...

Ibaka has a good face up game and is still a great post defender

Kanter has a very soft touch and can get whatever shot he wants on either block

Steven Adams is a certified goon and one of the biggest strongest dudes in the NBA period

Mcgary is morphing into that hustle player who is just in the right fukking place at the right fukking time all the fukking time...AND they already have Collison who has made his entire career of being that guy...so now they got two of them...

San Antonio just isn't making shots right now but they are still getting whatever shot they want...Duncan Splitter Diaw is still a 3 headed monster you don't want to bang with for 7 games and Baynes is turning into a goon...he pretty much single handily annihilated Phoenix in the post last night...had all 7 feet of alex len shook as fukk to do anything...had a 7 foot man constantly shooting floaters and hooks cause he was shook of going to the rim...

I shutter to think what Tyson Chandler would do to them without Dwight...dude would probably put up 20 and 20 a night...

Can you imagine would Blake and Deandre would do against them in a series without Dwight?

Houston balling now but when the game slows down yikes...