Dwight Howard is living up to his word of doing his best in his second stint with the Los Angeles Lakers. His performance has been lauded by different people and the latest to do so is his former coach, Mike D'Antoni.
Ironically, D'Antoni is now calling the shots for the same team that Howard joined when he bolted the Lakers. He recently won the Western Conference Coach of the Month and gave his take on why the 6-foot-11 center is enjoying success this time around.
According to D'Antoni, Howard is finally playing well because he stopped demanding the ball when posting down low. When she got word of it, Lakers team owner Jeanie Buss look at it from a different perspective. According to her, Howard did not perform well back during the 2012-13 NBA season because they hired the wrong coach, the LA Times reported. And obviously, it was Mike D'Antoni calling the shots that year.
Though it is something that most would debate about, the scenario then was different from now. The Lakers were oozing with talent and Howard felt that he deserved more touches during games. Kobe Bryant was the star of the show and there was also Steve Nash. Unlike today, Howard would have not been agreeable to playing second fiddle, aware that he could get star attention if he played for other teams. He tried it that way, moving to the Rockets. But as most know, things just went downhill for the top pick of the 2004 NBA Draft.
With Howard's value declining and no NBA team willing to take him, agreeing to a backup role was the best he could do. Despite coming off the bench, Howard proved he could still play at an All-Star level. After this season, multiple teams are likely to come and talk to him for a possible deal. At 34, it could be an opportunity to take another major step - that of which is to show teams that he can still play well as a starter.
The only concern for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year is his ability to stay healthy. Averaging only about 20 minutes per game this season, more playing time could once again take its toll on Howard. In a way, his backup role is working for him and allowing him to play more games. He has played a total of 59 games this season thus far.
For now, Howard is in a prime position to win an NBA title with the Lakers. Whether he starts or not, it is something that should fit in well with his basketball resume. After that, the next step will be up to him.
