Superman Has Trouble with Screens, Refs Fortunately Do Not Notice

A groan often heard around these parts (Charlotte) is the desire that Dwight Howard would have come to the Bobcats. The draft in 2004 did not allow the newly formed Bobcats the luxury of a number 1 pick. They traded with the Clippers and moved to the number 2 pick and chose Emeka Okafor after the Magic took Howard. There is no doubt that Howard is the more dominating player right now. Look at the man's deltoids for instance, I think he has to turn sideways to get through doors. Okafor is a solid post player but he is only 6'10" and watching the two side by side last night you could see Howard has the more gifted genetics. Mek finished with 14 and 9, which is about his season average of 14 and 10.7. He also fouled out and if you think he was cut any slack by the refs playing a guy who has become a face of the NBA, do not kid yourself.

The key play in the game was J.J. Redick hitting the game-tying three with 8 seconds left to send the game into overtime where the Magic eventually won 107-102. From the recap shwon below you can see that Howard was dominant in the middle all night, finishing with 45 points, 19 rebounds, and 8 blocks. I emplore you to observe Dwight Howard's screen on Raymond Felton (2:00 in the clip).

If you beleive this to be a legal screen, then you sir are an idiot and possibly retarded. This was probably even a hold in football. The Magic are a marquee team now since Howard has donned the superman persona. The Bobcats are 11 games under .500 and a franchise not especially lauded over by the league. I guess this is how the NBA works, you have to establish yourself first to get the calls to be right accurate in the closing seconds. Don't get me wrong I love Dwight Howard and what he is doing for basketball, but sometimes you have to call a spade a spade or a malesting a moving screen.