Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Return of Superman

HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS – In our MVP conversation here at the hideout last week, we gave cursory mention to Magic center Dwight Howard.


Let me be the first member of the crew to apologize to Howard for not showing him the proper respect for the work he’s put in this season. Have you taken a gander at the way Howard has dominated his competition lately?


That Superman tag couldn’t be more apt these days for the unquestioned most dominant big man in the game. The fact that he’s had to do it with a team in transition surrounding him makes Howard’s 23 points, 14 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game even more impressive to these eyes.


(We can’t wait to see what he has in store for the Lakers tonight, on the second half of the ESPN doubleheader along with the Heat-Spurs.)


When we talk MVP, we have to include Howard’s name in that first breath along with Derrick Rose and LeBron James. He’s been that good this season, despite never getting the credit he deserves for the Magic’s success. It’s time to right that wrong.


Watching him demolish the Suns Sunday reminds you of just how devastating a force he can be. He piled up a staggering 26 points in just 34 minutes, to go along with his 15 rebounds and five blocks. Per the good folks at Elias Sports:


Since the start of the 2010 calendar year, Howard is the only NBA player to post a 25-15-5 game, but he has done it six times including twice this month. It’s not the first time that Howard has recorded a pair of 25-15-5 games in the same month, having previously done so in February 2010. Prior to that, no player had two such games in the same calendar month since Shaquille O’Neal did it in March 2004.


My main John “StatsCube” Schuhmann is the resident numbers guru around here, so I don’t want to step overstep the boundaries in any way shape or form, but you don’t need to be into analytics to appreciate what Howard has done lately.


In his last 10 games, Howard is averaging a 23.3 points, 15.2 rebounds, 3.8 blocks and 1.7 assists. And his rebounding (15.8), blocks (4) and assist (2.2) numbers have all gone up so far this month.


Whatever the criteria must be for MVP honors, Howard meets them and then some.