SteemSports Presenter:@hogan22
SteemSports Editor:@scottybuckets
It was a historical night in Brooklyn last night when the Charlotte Hornets played against the Nets. The Hornets would win the game 111-105 but it wasn’t the score that made history. It was Dwight Howard’s stat line. Howard joined seven other NBA players to have a 30 point and 30 rebound game. That is right, in the history of the NBA, only seven other players have ever done that, the last being Kevin Love back in the 2010 season when he was just a youngster playing for the Timberwolves. Howard’s official stat line for last night was this:
32 points
10-17 FG
12-21 FT
30 Rebounds, 19 DReb, 11OReb
1 Assist
The 6’11 and 265 pound center is as solid as a rock. He splashed onto the NBA scene back in 2004 when the Orlando Magic drafted him. He would play his first 8 seasons in the sunshine state and was a double-double machine. He was one hell of a defender and would lead the league in blocks several times. But the Orlando Magic could never surround him with enough talent to win a championship. Howard would be sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012 and everyone thought that he would be the next big man in the purple in gold to win the title, but Howard HATED playing for the Lakers. He was miserable and chose not to resign with them. The city of L.A. was pissed as hell and have never gotten over that.
Dwight Howard would spend his next 3 seasons in Houston playing for the Rockets. The theory of having Howard playing in the post and James Harden on the wing sounded like a dynamite idea, but it just did not translate into contending for an NBA Championship. He would head to Atlanta for one year before being signed in Charlotte by Michael Jordan’s Hornets.
This year has been Howard’s best since 2013. His numbers are all up and he is averaging 16.6 points per game, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. The 33 year old center has a few good years left in his game. His biggest weakness in his career has been his free throw shooting but this year is one of his better years with 56%.
Howard has had a great career. He has won medals as an Olympian for the United States, been on several All-Star teams, and had some fantastic games, like last night. But will he ever get a shot at the NBA Championship in Charlotte? I doubt it. But I hope I am wrong.
Thank you for following @steemsports and you can find me @hogan22
