Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  77 responses

Dwight Howard: Orlando Magic Need to ‘Change’


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

Talk about timing for Dwight Howard and his Orlando Magic team.

A few hours after saying he would consider playing for the Boston Celtics starting next year, citing his admiration of their resolve, cohesiveness and overall toughness, the C’s put all of those qualities on full display in Orlando last night.

Boston overcame a 27-point deficit, in a stunning comeback win (their second consecutive victory over the Magic.) A dejected Dwight Howard criticized his squad and himself following the game, saying they need to make changes.

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Howard intimated that teammates didn’t stick to their roles Thursday night’s loss to Boston. “We didn’t play the right way and we have to change,” he said. “Everybody just can’t come down (the floor) and feel like they have to take the game over. You just have to play team-ball and play the way we want to play. We didn’t do that.” Howard included himself in the meltdown inwhich the Magic lost a 27-point lead. He finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds, but didn’t steady the ship as the lead dwindled and got into early foul trouble.

Howard said the team let down after racing to a big lead.“We thought it was going to be easy after the first two quarters,” Howard said. “We can’t allow that. We have to change.”

Assuming that he hasn’t already completely made up his mind about leaving the Magic, or that the front-office doesn’t trade him by the deadline, Dwight Howard’s free agent decision will be largely based on how his team responds to adversity (especially in the postseason.)

Last night’s crushing defeat doesn’t help matters in any way, but Orlando does have plenty of time to make “changes”. Can they, will they?

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  • http://www.slamonline.com Wayno

    Ugh, I’m really sick of his crying…just play for goodness sake.

  • mike

    dwight cries too much, anyone who watched this game will know the magic were thoroghly outplaying the celtics when dwight was on the bench.

  • pnightmare

    the only one that needs to change is himself … crybaby, again bi**ing to the refs

  • ENDS

    I’m probably the longest tenured magic fan around here and ill be the first to say yesterday night made me sick . I have resolved not to give a damn if Dwight leaves or stays.

  • http://www.fullc0urtpress.com K.Holiday

    Translation : TRADE ME!

  • http://www.allensportswear.com/ Uniforms

    Although we can’t coddle him he makes a pretty good point. The Magic do need to change to get back to the finals. Basketball is about teamwork though and it can’t really be good for moral when the star is saying the players around him aren’t good enough.

  • christianbullen

    translation from a magic fan: TRADE THAT MOTHAFLUCKA!

  • vtrobot

    First change that team should make is their f*cking diapers.

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Dwight has probably already packed his bags and bought a pre-flight ticket to get the hell out of Orlando as soon as possible.

  • SCOTTY D

    yeah dwight is kind of a bum and i definitely think his ego has gone through the roof. I read this article about how much he’s been whining lately and why the magic should let him go and hope he never comes back. Kinda funny. Check it out.
    http://theheroesandvillains.com/handv/H_%26_V_-_Dwight_Howard_Should_Just_Nut_Up.html

  • AD

    soooo yall mad at dwight for wanting to leave a team full of 3point shooters that can’t play d…. oooooooooo

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    F all the Dwight haters

  • TBEASTIN

    this guy huh? always crying about something or another. i’m positive he sits at home on the toilet in that thinking pose…crying. crying about how his addias armsleeve things look corny. crying about how no one wants to run an offense through him cos he doesn’t have any adequate moves other than dunking and a weird spin jump hook. crying cos the refs told him his design scheme in his house was retarded. always crying about something. STOP CRYING.

  • shutup

    I dont know any team that Dwight is gonna go to and get the ball dumped down to him, his post game is uhhmmm inconsistent, to say the least. He only had 16 points what is he complaining about? Take the game over with your actions not by crying about it afterwards.

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    I’m kind of torn at this point. I admit I’ve talked ish about him crying and all but after watching last night I’d be upset too. I mean you can demand the ball all you want as a big man but if your whole team is made up of slashers and three point shooters then your chances of getting a lot of touches in the post are slim.

  • http://www.optimabbc.be Max

    ^The Magic having slashers is something new toome lol

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    Well Hedo and J Rich slash to the basket from the wings and even Reddick does every now and then.

  • http://www.coachesclipboard.net/FlexOffense.html nbk

    Y’all definition of crying is broken.

  • AD

    ^^ @nbk cosign they act like dwight wants to talk to the media……. aND IF DWIGHT CRIES, hes not the only one to do it…. every player in the lg complains but it shows that you care…..

  • Kilo

    Maybe if you would have stayed out of foul trouble last night, the Magic would have won. Just Saying.

  • Ldub

    Dwights gripes and complaints are valid IMO. You come to a franchise, you are the face, the all star etc and you want to win. You see teams all around you making moves to improve their chances. Miami, Chi, Bos, LA (clips), NY, etc. But who has Dwight played along side of that is considered a star? Hedont? Nelson? VC? All these dudes put up decent #’s but they are hardly considered all stars. At the end of the day, you want what is best, or should want what is best, for your team to win. If you dont feel like the organization is doing that, then why stay? Kobe got the help, Wade got the help, Pierce got the help, Dirk got the help. Yes the constant emotional roller coaster turns alot of people off, but Dwight is young and clearing has not learned how to ask for something without being perceived as a “lil @$$ girl for complaining about every little thing.”

  • LP

    dirk didnt get help, homie…..

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Every player (especially stars) does some sort of complaining and b*tching to the refs on damn near every possession.

  • http://www.reverbnation.com/tray24 T-Ray

    Blake Griffin is probably the most emphamis..

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    Dwight did NOTHING to help the Magic last night. How can he even call it his team? He’s no leader. I’ve been a fan of Dwight since he was in high school but it’s just pathetic seeing how he fails to take any responsibility for anything. What do you want, Dwight? Kobe to go and score it all for you? Deron to just throw you alley-oops? It’s the NBA, nothing comes easy. So quit whining and demand a trade already. Cause as a Magic fan, I’ll say it now, we don’t need you. Go whine somewhere else.

  • GC6

    We were doing well until Dwight Howard came back on the court then suddenly we sucked when he came on first we need to get rid of him and Glen Davis then we need to learn how to use the fake effectively like they did in the 1st half the way they get chased off the 3 point line one fake and the defender is in the crowd.

  • GC6

    Cosign Caboose too
    I used to be a massive fan when he came on the court all the team did is dump it in the post and he couldn’t even take Chris Wilcox the only person he could beat was a rookie he has lost his dominance,Leadership and work ethic (in the games) since last year before this year I would have said underrated now I say overrated I preffered him when he was joking all the time (at least he would play hard) and trade him while he has some value as a Orlando fan
    Also while im at it get rid of Davis the amount of shots he misses a game hurts us

  • Ldub

    @LP Dirk got Chandler, Kidd, Terry, Butler. Not saying they all signed one year and boom it happened. My point is DH never had any help and everyone else has! He has had inconsistnt players around him.

  • http://www.nicekicks.com Chris

    Dwight has or had, Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, Vince Carter, Hedo, Jameer Nelson, Marcin Gortat, Mikel Pietrus…I could go on and on, they are all either solid role players elsewhere or where stars at one point. How can you say they haven’t brought him help?

  • FnF

    @Chris, please go on and on about all the help he has had. Gilbert averageg 25+ before his knees betrayed him. The Magic got him after he could only give them an ineefective 9 points a game. J-Rich is as streaky as they come for shooters. What meaningful thing has Vince done in the past 4 years? One 40-point game, your turn…. Gortat and Pietrus did help get Dwight to the Finals. They should have kept Gortat but oh well. Jameer pre-shoulder injury was ballin, after… not so much. Hedo gave Dwight 1 good year. Now Hedo and Jameer play hide n seek during every big game. Dwight needs help, but he also has to give Orlando time to get him help. They went all in and lost. Re-tool and then try it again. You can’t make the conference finals every year.

  • MLK4Life

    People cry about dwight crying more than he actually cries. Dwight haters are funny. I’d be salty too if my best teammate throughtout my career was jameer nelson.

  • http://shinefluid@aol.com yada

    really, i hear more fans crying than i do dwight sthu

  • http://www.slamonline.com house

    Big Baby the Sequel

  • AD

    i can’t wait till dwight teams up with deron and shuts the haters up.. Yall haters are just stupid

  • Ash

    Sorry have to agree with Dwight. During Celtics run Dwight got the ball twice in the post. Glenn Davis was missing jumpers or his teammates was turning over the ball. Dwight had advantage over KG

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    Ash: How many times did Dwight fight for position and demand the ball? I’m not a Dwight hater, I’ve defended him for a long time. But honestly, he’s not giving Orlando everything he can. It’s not the whining I’m upset about. It’s his effort and borderline hypocrisy.

  • FnF

    ^^^Agreed, His happy-go-lucky demeanor is his undoing. If you 3-4 trips down the floor and your team isn’t getting you the ball, say something about it. If you are getting fronted, set up position on the other block. If he feels his team needs to feed the post more, get open. If they miss you when you were open, let them know about it.

  • http://www.salmonline.com Wayno

    He’s Toronto Vince Cartering it out there…You don’t piss and moan in public when your team isn’t how you want it. I play or maybe talk to management IN PRIVATE about a trade….If no trade happens, just sign with another team when your contract is up. It’s not rocket science.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeLRym4Q-pg nbk

    he isn’t pissing and moaning. wtf are you talking about.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeLRym4Q-pg nbk

    He hasn’t requested a trade publicly either, he requests the trade in private and his AGENT or the ORLANDO MAGIC make the request public. If you’re ignorant about what is being said or how it’s released it’s better to just keep your judgement to yourself.

  • Mariano

    I didn’t watch the game but I looked at the stats and he was like -25… lol

  • burnt_chicken

    I find it interesting when people complain that a player is complaining too much. I also find the expression “Y’all definition of crying is broken” to be quite funny. On a few different levels.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    Nbk: Good points, Dwight really hasn’t been whining publicly on a Melo level. However, he does speak of playing for other teams as well as his “wish list.” I don’t mind the public demostratioms as much (thus, I object to several comments here), but I am upset at the overall lack of dedication or effort Dwight has shown the Magic this year. They still pay his contract.

  • http://averysmith.org Avery Smith

    Cats want instant championships. Grass is greener mentality. Whats sad about these guys is that even though a guy like Dwight “wants to win”, and is used to “winning”, he has to understand that everyone in the NBA from the stars to the DNP’s all the way at the end of the bench are used to winning on some level. That’s how they got to the NBA. Everyone was Jordan in high school. What we have here is a glut of talent, and so crazy superior skilled athletes get championships. Let’s stop this whole “I win” crap. It’s kind of smug when you think about it. Dwight, if you win, then how come you got swept in the 2009 NBA Finals? Just humble yourself and wait your turn like everyone else. These guys worship championships and winning like its their God. Calm down and play basketball. You don’t here Derrick Rose crying like this. Or Kevin Durant. Hakeem stayed. David Robinson stayed. Both got 2 rings at the tail end of their careers. Ewing stayed. Kobe stayed.The only center that bounced around was Shaq, when you think about it.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    People are questioning dwights effort? Hahahaha
    How many 20 20 games has dwight had already in this season? Magic players should know to feed dwight the ball, its common sense, and I’m sure their stated gameplan. Instead, bad shots are taken.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    Effort in terms of leadership. I really hate arguing against Dwight. His production has been fine, but he has yet to step up when his team needs him.

  • http://bedotwater.bandcamp.com BE.water

    reading nbk’s posts remind me that there are still intelligent folks who think out their thoughts before they type them.

    “Y’all definition of crying is broken” I could say that about alot of comments on here.

  • shutup

    Do you think Howards agent is gonna let something slip to the media that Howard doesnt approve? and crying to me is trying to solve a problem by talking to a third party instead of holding the source of the problem accountable. He is allowed to say “No Comment” he should Go to the coach and demand more post possessions or go to the players and demand it as a leader of the team. Unless he as a player is unsure of his post skills or his team and coach do not have faith in his ability for good reason. Oh and let some other player call his team out in the media like this and we would see a swarm of hate, and if this was the NFL he would get the Willie Beeman treatment

  • http://www.coachesclipboard.net/FlexOffense.html nbk

    His agent is going to do what’s best for his client. He isn’t going to chek with Howard, it’s his job to do what is most beneficial.

  • shutup

    Oh and I ask all those that say people just hate on Howard – Do you think he has reached his full potential? Or is devoting enough time to try to reach it? Other players with less do so much more like Zach Randolph for example. Would it be so hard for Dwight to work on his post game? he has had the best coaches from Kareem, to Ewing to Olajuwan, plus the mold is there in Shaq’s career, he has all the physical gifts but it seems to me with the smiling and slow progression of his offensive game that maybe his dedication should come into question.

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