NBA Defenses Finally Able to Combat the Magic?

I said this earlier last week when the Magic's four game losing streak was still fresh. Maybe it's an issue with NBA teams finally being able to combat the four shooter and one big man line-up? The Sentinel just released an article touching on the subject (located HERE). Well this article explains a lot about the offensive game of Dwight Howard and the opinions of a few NBA greats on his game. First I want to say that I like Dwight, and I really want to see the best for him. I'm not hating to trying to put him down, but as a fan you've got to come across some reality. His offensive game is raw and it's really not helping the team right now. I understand he's young, however many of us Magic fans have seen a much better Dwight Howard than this year's. The Sentinel's article really gives a good point to justify that.

"Howard has posted single-digit scoring games six times so far this season — including four times since a Christmas Day loss to the Boston Celtics.

During the entire 2007-08 and 2008-09 regular seasons combined, Howard had just seven games in which he scored fewer than 10 points."

I have said that Dwight has taken a step back this season but of course I'm not wishful of that at all. The main thing that bothered me was to see Dwight brag about working on his game this summer in between his movie filming and overseas trips. He really came out and told us fans that he was in the gym and wanted to come out this year to win it all. We not only believed him but we believe in him.

I also agree with Tim Legler...

"You really have to get the ball to Dwight Howard extremely deep for him to be effective offensively, and against really good defensive teams, when you get that far into the playoffs, they're just not going to allow that to happen," Legler said. "He's certainly going to get his moments over the course of games, because he's too athletic, too big and runs the floor well. But what about when the game slows down and teams are forced to play them in a half-court game?

"He has to have something else he can do to get himself more shots, just to make himself a more viable option. For me, the fact that he has no ability whatsoever to pick-and-pop and shoot a 15-foot jump shot, that really inhibits what you can do with him offensively."


What Can the Team Do?
There is always the question of the team. How can they help Dwight improve, and how can they get him the ball to where he can score? Like Legler said, not every night Dwight is going to have it easy. Normally when that happens and nothing opens up for the Magic, they normally have a hard time winning games. This is the reason Dwight needs to develop more than what he is right now. The Magic NEED him to be able to get his comfort zone EVERY NIGHT! That's one huge part of the offense that they do strive on and he's the key. I agree the team can get a little better on finding him in the right spots, however what if he can't do it himself? Dwight has said he wants to be one of the greatest, well not being limited is not a characteristic of that class.

Magic fans feel that this team can win it all this year, especially with the amount of talent this team has. Dwight has a burden on his shoulders since he went out and said he wants to bring a title to Orlando and it's fans. While he's young and still can improve most of us feel like he'd be a lot farther along than he is now. It's hard to defend that his offensive game is limited at this point especially since the way he played in the Finals run last season. I hope this is just a minor slump and this team is bored, awaiting the the Playoffs.