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NBA: Player Rankings – Week 15

By Jared Jackson

Feb 8, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) controls the ball while defended by Utah Jazz small forward Jeremy Evans (40) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) controls the ball while defended by Utah Jazz small forward Jeremy Evans (40) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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16. Dwight Howard (C, Houston Rockets) 

Feb 5, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) hands the ball back to the referee during the second half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at the Toyota Center. Howard leads his team with 34 points and 14 rebounds. The Rockets defeated the Suns 122-108. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) hands the ball back to the referee during the second half of the game against the Phoenix Suns at the Toyota Center. Howard leads his team with 34 points and 14 rebounds. The Rockets defeated the Suns 122-108. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

The most impressive stretch by this newly assembled team came just this week when they faced the Dallas Maverick, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns consecutively. James Harden, the team’s leading scorer did not play against Dallas and San Antonio, but Houston prevailed in the best-of-Texas battle. Dwight Howard was an integral part of that success. During this stretched Howard averaged 26 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 59.3 percent in the process. Perhaps the most encouraging sign was how he didn’t let an 0-of-8 start from the field against San Antonio. The center has put the team on his back of late, doing what many hoped and/or expected he would do when he signed with the Rockets over the summer.