Houston Rockets: Dwight Howard’s Worst 3 Games Of 2013-14

Coming out of Southwest Atlanta Christian High School in the 2004 NBA Draft, expectations ran high for 6’10” Dwight Howard. Considered an emerging superstar, and a future offensive weapon, Howard’s name spelled “salvation” for the troubled Orlando Magic.

Hmm…

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Of course, Orlando’s decision to take Howard was blooming as he took them, along with a bunch of

b-listers

, at most, past the 2009 Eastern Conference favorite Cleveland Cavaliers and into the NBA Finals for a matchup against

‘s

Los Angeles Lakers

.

But did he save them? Not exactly. Instead, once Howard became a free agent in the summer of 2012, in one of the worst loyalty displays ever (trailing only LeBron James‘ “Decision”), he forced a trade got traded in his last year under contract to join Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash (or what was left of them) on the Lakers.

The expectation surrounding Howard’s and Nash’s arrival in L. A. prompted Sports Illustrated’s execs to come out with a suitable cover. (h/t Sports Illustrated)

An Achilles injury for Kobe and a failed 2012-13 season later, Dwight did it again and joined the Houston Rockets to play along James Harden and once-upon-a-time-star Jeremy Lin.

I guess it wasn’t THAT fun after all…

Fast-forward to the end of the 2013-14 NBA season, a not-so-devastating season for the Rockets that ended in one of the most dramatic of ways (via a 3-point dagger from buzzer-beater extraordinaire Damian Lillard), and Howard’s still due to deliver a championship.

As a 10-year veteran who hasn’t been able, mostly because of a back injury, to reach the peak of his unprecedented powers, Howard is now on the hot seat. Let’s look back at his three worst defensive games of the 2013-14 season.

Dec. 2 @ Utah Jazz: 15 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocks, -11, 128 DRtg. (HOU 103 – UTA 109)

As the confident Houston Rockets visited the much-inferior Utah Jazz, the Rockets posted a 124.6 defensive rating. At 128, Dwight’s rating was above the team average. In fact, he had the third-worst defensive rating of the night among Rockets and Jazz players. (Aaron Brooks, 129; Ronnie Brewer, 131)

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/15/2014.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/15/2014.

The Utah Jazz had the 25th-best offensive rating in the league (104.6) for the 2013-14 season, in this game, the Rockets enabled the Jazz to log in their fourth-highest offensive rating of the season: 124.6.

Nov. 4 @ Los Angeles Clippers: 13 points, 9 rebounds, 0 blocks, -24, 131 DRtg. (HOU 118 – LAC 137)

What can we expect from Howard against the No. 1 offensive rated team in the NBA? If the game against the Jazz is any indication, things are not looking good for Howard.

Without much rest (Rockets’ fourth game in the las six days), the Rockets posted a mind-blowing 133.3 defensive rating. Howard, arguably the best defensive player on the team, was for once, below the team’s average. As the Clippers snapped the Rockets’ three-game win streak, Howard (131) posted the fourth-best (fourth-least-worst) defensive rating on his team.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/15/2014.

Nov. 20 @ Dallas Mavericks: 33 points, 11 rebounds, 0 blocks, +1, 135 DRtg. (HOU 120 – DAL 123)

Last but not least. The 135 defensive rating game.

I’m well aware of his 150 offensive rating. Still, with Chandler Parsons and James Harden on the team, Dwight’s job is not to score all the points. Of course, as a center he shoots a higher percentage shot in the paint, but his job, the sole reason this team got him on board, is to defend. To give hell to the opponent AT LEAST, in the paint.

Did he do that? No, the Mavericks shot a staggering 73.68 percent (28-for-38) from the restricted area.

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 9/15/2014.

Once again, it wasn’t all on Howard. James Harden (140), Francisco Garcia (140), and Terrence Jones (139) pitched in on the team’s loss.

Howard posted 16 110-plus defensive rating games throughout the season. The result? A 6-10 record for the Rockets. If the Rockets are hoping to contend in the uber-loaded Western Conference, they HAVE TO step it up on defense. And it has to start with one of the most talented defensive players in the league, Howard.

Is Harden’s “disconnected-controller” defense contagious? Or is the Rockets’ offensive prowess giving them the illusion that they can play no defense at all?