Dwight's impact for the Rockets

[Jameerthefear]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...ouston-rockets

Good article.

Cliff notes:

Through two games, the Rockets have outscored the Mavericks by 34 points when Howard is on the court and been outscored by 12 when he sits—a net difference of 46 points in 50 minutes.

The numbers are equally stunning. The Rockets’ offensive rating is 113.8 when Howard is on and only 101.3 when he’s sitting.

If there’s a number that elucidates his offensive impact, it’s this. Howard has 10 dunks through the first two games. The entire Mavericks roster has six. The restricted area is his domain on both sides of the court.

Howard is 15-of-20 from there. The rest of the team is 11-of 20 at the rim with him on the court. When he sits, they’re 22-38. He’s shooting 75.0 percent within three feet; the rest of the Rockets are shooting 56.8 percent.

The Mavericks haven’t even been able to attempt a three off a pass from the post with Howard in the game. In fact, the Mavs have only made one three-pointer out of their set offense, period.

The cumulative impact of Howard’s rim protection and reverse gravity is devastating. The Mavs have had just 53.1 percent of their makes come in the Morey Zones while Howard is playing compared to 73.3 percent when he’s not.

Howard’s impact supports such a notion. The Rockets’ three-point defense has been dramatically better with him on the court, even though he has defended just one three-point shot directly. The Mavs are shooting 36.0 percent while Howard sits but just 21.4 percent when he’s playing.

When Howard has personally been the defender within six feet of the basket, the Mavericks have gone 4-of-14, which is 28.2 percentage points below their normal averages. In other words, you’re better off settling for a long two than testing Howard inside.

While Howard has been on the bench, though, the Mavericks are having their way. They’ve made 24 shots at the rim in 46 minutes (25.0 per game) and have been successful on 61.5 percent of their attempts.

The Mavericks’ offensive rating when Howard is playing is just 88.9. That’s nearly 20 points below the 107.2 they scored during the regular season. To understand why Howard is helping the Rockets to such incredible success against the Mavs, you have to understand their entire theory of basketball.

[Smoke117]

Dwight is underrated? Said every fan of basketball who knows what the **** he's talking about. (so 5% of the ish community)

it's a fools world after all...

[navy]

Postseason Dwight > Postseason Harden

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Except for that one year with the Lakers it seems like Dwight always plays well in the playoffs.

He seems to have accepted being more of a role player on offense as opposed to a featured player...i remember Cavsftw posted a quote of him saying he wanted to play like Wilt did when he won his titles

[UK2K]

Dwight is playing like Deandre.

No more 4 dribble post ups.

Just rebound, block, and finish lobs. That's what we've been asking for all season.

He finally gets it.

[UK2K]

Except for that one year with the Lakers it seems like Dwight always plays well in the playoffs.

He seems to have accepted being more of a role player on offense as opposed to a featured player...i remember Cavsftw posted a quote of him saying he wanted to play like Wilt did when he won his titles

Yet because of a meeting in Denver earlier this month that involved Harden, Howard, and veteran guard Jason Terry, such hopeful optimism from the many teams trying to stop them appears to be unfounded. Howard, who has played in just 32 games this season while Houston (47-23) has been one of the best teams in the West throughout, has given Harden the green light like never before.

"He said, 'I'll be returning soon, but I don't want you to change your game," Harden told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday. "He said, 'I don't want you to do anything different. Just go out there and do what you do, and do it at a high level every single night.' He said, 'I'll adjust to you,' and that right there gave me confidence to just play, and play my game and not worry about anything else. Once you hear that from your other leader, then you know you can just go out there and play the way that I've been playing.

[Jameerthefear]

Dwight is playing like Deandre.

No more 4 dribble post ups.

Just rebound, block, and finish lobs. That's what we've been asking for all season.

He finally gets it.

yep. except he is much more dominant than deandre

[SCdac]

Good for him and the rockets. His bread and butter is defense imo

[outbreak]

Where are all the lakers tards who kept posting how playing dwight is like playing with 4 players on the court, he is a liablity on both ends, he was never a good player, he should retire, he is done etc.

I hate Dwight as a human being (he's entitled, low morals, hypocritical, indecisive, no loyalty etc) but as a player he is still a beast in the right situation and when healthy. He should never have tried to work on fancy post moves as that was never his game in orlando, in his last couple of years there he had a couple of serviceable moves and was effective, it was when he tried to get fancy and do things that aren't his natural game that he went downhill and then hit injuries and a bad situation in L.A. Looks to be back to his natural game at the moment which is defence, strength and positioning.

[oarabbus]

I've been saying since the last year's playoffs, Dwight is a MONSTER. Only salty bitch ass Laker fans deny it.

[J Shuttlesworth]

I like the fact that if the Spurs make the finals, they have to go through DJ, Dwight, and Bogut Duncan will be beat come finals time

[HylianNightmare]

Great stuff

[Nick Young]

He's good as a high work rate defensive role player.

[FreezingTsmoove]

I like the fact that if the Spurs make the finals, they have to go through DJ, Dwight Gasol and Zbo Duncan will be beat come finals time

..

[KungFuJoe]

Dwight showed up last year's playoffs. It was Harden that choked. I always thought that if Dwight stopped trying to score every time he touched the ball he would be a great asset.