Houston Rockets: 5 Keys to Climbing Out of 0-2 Hole

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May 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) moves to the basket against the defense of Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12) during the first half in game two of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Dwight Howard’s Health

From 2007 to 2012, there weren’t many players better than Dwight Howard. He was the star of the Orlando Magic, starring in an NBA Finals appearance and winning three Defensive Player of the Year awards.

Since undergoing surgery on a herniated disk in his back, however, Howard has battled health issues en route to a less aggressive offensive attack.

Howard doesn’t need to score 30 points per game against the Golden State Warriors, but as a proven postseason performer, he needs to be aggressive. while Andrew Bogut is an excellent defender, Howard is a transcendent Hall of Fame talent.

The question is, will his knee hold up?

Fortunately for the Houston Rockets, Howard played in Game 2. He finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block in 40 minutes.

Nevertheless, one can’t help but wonder how healthy D-12 truly is. His free throw shooting is at a career-worst 40.9 percent, which is far below his career 55.5 percent mark in the postseason.

If Howard can play with more aggressiveness and sink his free throws at a clip closer to 50 percent, Houston may just pull out the upset.

Next: The Star of the Show

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