Charlotte Hornets: 5 goals for Dwight Howard in 2017-18
3. Perimeter defense
Although Howard wanted to work on his 3-point shot this summer, there are some bigs who have already achieved this monumental task, such as DeMarcus Cousins and Al Horford.
There’s no question that Howard can defend the paint like no other. Interior defense has never been his problem. But the game of basketball has changed to a more run-and-gun style of play. Therefore, not only does Howard have to defend his man on the inside, but on the outside as well.
No one is saying Howard has to turn into Usain Bolt or John Wall overnight, but he does have to pick up his speed when bigs are outside the paint attempting threes and long twos.
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No longer is the traditional center a threat on the inside; he has also become a threat from deep and outside the paint. With this new pace-and-space era, Howard has to be quicker on the defensive end, to be able to defend the 3-point line.
Thus, Howard has to always stay in front of his man. At no point should he be chasing behind him to the 3-point line for two reasons.
First, if Howard is behind his man, that gives his opponent more than enough time for a 3-point attempt.
Secondly, to prevent the shot, Howard instinctively is going to either try to steal the ball from behind, foul his man or the player will jump into Howard. It doesn’t matter how the foul occurs, that’s three free throws.
Therefore, Howard must not only be able to crash the glass, but also defend the perimeter. Because whichever team successfully makes the most threes, that’s who wins the game – plain and simple.
The game has changed, and if Howard wants to stay in it, he must adapt or be left behind while his man is turning into a Harlem Globetrotter from behind the arc.
If Howard is able to bring the same defensive intensity from inside the paint to outside the paint, then he will become a dual threat on the defensive end.