Does Howard Need to Work on Post Moves?
by ECFIVESTER on May 24, 2010 12:40 PM EDT
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I keep hearing Internet chatter about Dwight Howard's post moves or ineffectiveness of his repertoire of post moves.
Does Dwight really need to spend the off season working on Post moves or should he work on a jump shot? I contend that last night's Game 3 between the Suns and the Lakers, Phoenix F/C Amare Stoudemire is exhibit A. Amare has long been known to have an offensive game and aggression but not a defensive presence of note. Amare is able to drive to the hoop with little resistance based on a few factors. The Magic employ some of these factors. Amare can drive to the hoop because he is surrounded by three point shooters (except when Robin Lopez is on the floor) which creates spacing, the Magic employ this strategy as well. Amare can get to the rim more often because he is not only a threat from 5 ft, but he is a threat from 15 to 18 ft as well. Granted, Amare does not have the shooting percentage Dwight does, but then again, Amare is taking more shots per game than Dwight and is more of an offensive threat than Dwight because of it. Amare can put his team on his back without barrelling into the paint, something Dwight does not do at this present moment. Patrick Ewing, Dwight's current mentor, was able to hit from 15 ft out, he was able to carry his team. Dwight is a better defender than Patrick, but Patrick was a better overall center than Dwight presently is, and the main difference is the jump shot.
Which Dwight does have but he doesn't use. (after the jump)
Dwight has said that he's been working on it, and he even used it a bit in the season, but he doesn't like lowering his FG%. Who cares if you shoot below 60% for the season, as long as you're still above 45% and scoring more and able to carry your team offensively too, do you think that shooting percentage will matter at the end of the day? No. What matters is did you win. Did you do all you could both defensively and offensively to win? Right now, I have to say no, because there's a big part of D-Howard's game that is being left unused, and it limits the rest of his offensive game.
So does Dwight need to work on Post moves? Maybe, but if he had a jumper, he used, it would open his post game up, and his quickness over players like Kendrick Perkins, and his strength over players like, Zaza Pachulia and Al Horford.
Imagine, if DH12 took about 3 to 5 jump shots a game, let's say he hits 1 to 3. At 1, he's probably not pulling his defender out far enough to use his speed yet, but he is opening up the weak side offensive rebound. At 3 he's got his defender in a quandary, and he can abuse the defense because of his height, strength, and quickness. He can hit the shot, drive to the hole, drive and draw a foul, hit a cutter, pass to an open 3 pointer, or miss the shot with a suddenly not so crowded paint for, let's say, Barnes, Bass, Anderson, Carter, or Lewis (sometimes Gortat) to more easily grab the rebound.
if Dwight can add that shot, and make his free throw at 70% or more, hello 25+ point scorer and offensive load carrier. He can do it, but does he have the faith in himself to do it.
This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
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Hang on
Ewing was able to carry his team? To what? A Finals loss and getting beat up in the playoffs by the Bulls? Dwight doesn’t need a 15 foot jumper to achieve that.
Dwight’s not going to hit 3-5 jump shots more than about once a season. The guy has absolutely no touch from range at all. I mean the guy can’t even hit that cross-lane hook shot more than about 40% against decent defenders, and he’s spent two seasons practicing that.
If he took 5 jump shots a game right now, he’d be lucky to average 20% on those shots, and that would be four more wasted possessions a game. If Dwight wants to extend his game to range, he needs to spend the offseason in the gym working on a proper jump shot. And maybe if he figures that out he’ll stop shooting free throws like an 8 year old.
Here's the thing.
First of all, his shot DEFINITELY needs to be more than “over 45%”. Given his lack of a three-point shot, relatively low FT% and tendency to turn the ball over, he needs a very high field goal percentage — well above 50% — to be an efficient scorer. Which he is, so problem solved. But a 45% shooting guy who only took post shots would be MASSIVELY inefficient.
Secondly, in order to develop a face-up game, Dwight would need ball-handling skills, not outside shooting skills. I don’t think he needs either — if he wants to learn anything on offense, it should be a greater arsenal of back-to-the basket fakes and spin moves (etc.)
And finally, I’d say he doesn’t need any of that. The great thing about Dwight right now is this: there are only a couple things he can do in the paint. This is kind of a blessing in disguise — Dwight is rarely paralyzed by indecision. He can just be like, “all right, the basket is there, the defender is there. Can I make it?” And if so, he tries, and if not, he passes the ball out. He doesn’t spend five seconds spinning and faking just outside the paint. And that’s good because it’s fast.
It’s also good because, let’s face it, Dwight’s post moves will never be his strength. Could he get better? Sure. But he’ll never be a Hakeem or a Kevin McHale in there. So there’s a limit to how prolific he can be… but the efficiency makes up for it, I think.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
I don't think it's a bad idea
for anybody to develop a jump-shot, but I don’t think it’s the biggest priority for Dwight right now. He needs to continue to refine his post-game, which has been slowly but surely developing over the last couple of years. If you look at where he’s at now compared to then, he’s added a nice little running hook (sometimes with the left hand), a good drop-step with an excellent spin move, and gotten decent at passing out of the post. He did try to pull out the Timmy D. patented bank shot a few times in the regular season, but didn’t hit it all that well. Down the line I could see that being a weapon, but he’s got to get some more fundamentals first to play off of.
Just a thought
When is the last time you saw Shaquille O’neal shoot a jumper? In High School at Cole one day in practice? And he got the Magic to the Finals, the Lakers there multiple times, and the Heat went all the way…a team which Stan Van Gundy actually coached for most of the season before Pat Riley stole his team, lol.
Sure it wouldn’t hurt for Dwight to have a jumper. But his lack of a jumper (as glaring as it is) is not the reason the Magic have not won it all. 2 points is 2 points is 2 points.
It would be nice
to see Dwight develop that jumper he is working on would be great. I think a more refined post game, i.e. quicker, more deliberate moves,but with control is most important. I think Dwight has gotten better each season in the post, and a lil 12 foot jumper is the next step.
Coincidentally, I am a believer that if he does figure out how to knock this shot down, it will improve his FT stroke, making the importance of developing this 2-fold.
Agreed
I agree. Dwight developing even a 7 or 8 foot jumper (not as easy a shot to hit as it looks) would cause the entire Eastern Conference to have to go back to the drawing boards. If you plan on winning the Eastern Conference you better believe you gonna have to take a stroll down I-4 and go through Orlando 1st.
But one thing worries me…Dwights’ been in the league 6, going on 7 seasons now. WHEN is that jumper going to come? Soon, i hope.
Hakeem
I can’t exactly remember, but there is a line in Bill Simmons book when he talks about Hakeem and developing his jumpers. I will have to go back and re-read it. I was only 7 when Hakeem started to become the force that dismantled us in the Finals in 95, so I can’t remember exactly when before that he developed it, but I am pretty sure Simmons mentioned it. I will look for it and report back.
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