Dwight Howard hasn't missed a game since coming into the league two years ago, and on he became the Orlando Magic's new all-time leader for consecutive games played when he suited up for Game No. 207. Think about that for a second: a guy who wasn't even allowed to legal drink before this season is already setting franchise records. Howard's iron-man philosophy is really something of a throwback. Consider this:
Although NBA players are paid to play a full season, so few of them do it anymore. Last season, only 29 NBA players played all 82 regular-season games. Only 25 did it two seasons ago, a dramatic drop from the 58 players who played all 82 in the 1989-90 season, the first for the Magic franchise.Howard did recently slip behind Kevin Garnett for the league rebounding lead, but he's still in rare company. With 311 rebounds so far this season, Howard has 2,383 career rebounds heading into Friday's game in Atlanta. That puts him behind only the great Moses Malone for career rebounds before the age of 22 -- and he will almost certainly pass Malone before the end of the season. He's still got a way to go before catching Wilt Chamberlain, though -- he's currently 21,541 boards behind Wilt the Stilt.
