ORLANDO -- Coming to the defense of his All-Star center, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy didn't criticize the officials Wednesday night -- he didn't want another fine -- but he was clearly critical of the way Dwight Howard is being officiated this season.Howard, the biggest, strongest, best center in the NBA, is being unfairly penalized, according to Van Gundy.
"He gets penalized for being so strong. We give guys an advantage in this league for being quick, but we penalize them for being strong like Dwight,'' Van Gundy said after Howard finished with 11 fouls in the last two games combined. "If you hit a perimeter guy on a drive the way they are allowed to hit Dwight all the time around the basket, it would be a flagrant foul.''
The Magic pounded the Phoenix Suns, 122-100, Wednesday night and Howard had 25 points, but he played only 23 minutes because of early foul trouble. On Tuesday night, he fouled out after just 17 minutes in a loss against Detroit.
In both games, Howard was clearly frustrated by the way the game was being officiated. He received a technical foul in each game, giving him three for the season. After Tuesday's game, he was openly critical of the officials, using his website to express his frustration.
"What really bothers me is they are letting guys hammer me at one end of the floor, yet I'm being called for everything. All of those hits take a toll on my body after a while,'' Howard said in his blog after the loss to Detroit.
"It's frustrating, but I can't let the frustration get the best of me. ... They can hack, pound whatever, but I have to try and stay calm."
- Dwight Howard In the first half Wednesday, Howard had three offensive fouls and only six points in just 12 minutes. It took a halftime pep talk from general manager Otis Smith to calm him down before his big third quarter when he scored 17 points.
"It's frustrating, but I can't let the frustration get the best of me,'' he said Wednesday night. "I have to find other ways to pay back those people who are just fouling away at me. They can hack, pound, whatever, but I have to try and stay calm.''
Howard has been slowed by a strained right shoulder, sustained Sunday night in Toronto, although he continues to play. The injury is the result of the increased physical play he has faced early this season.
Van Gundy was careful to say he had no complaints about the officials, only the way the rules have been written and enforced.
"Because the big guys are so strong and don't go tumbling to the floor, the defenders wind up and whack away,'' Van Gundy said. "That's just the way it is. That's a fact. It's not the referees fault. It's the way they are told to call the games. They want freedom of movement on the perimeter, but they are not worried about the big guys being able to move and use their skills. Strength is penalized. And that's frustrating for Dwight, and for me.''
Despite Van Gundy's concerns about Howard, the Magic (4-1) dealt the Suns their first loss of the season. The Magic showed again just how deep they are, winning again without All-Star starters Vince Carter (ankle sprain) and Rashard Lewis (who started the season with a 10-game suspension).
"We're a good team,'' Howard said. "But I have to stay on the floor to help this team. Yes, it's a concern. I just have to handle it better.''
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pro Basketball has rules?
Sure, but Shaquille O'Neal can lead with his ass and not get called
Did uou say that "Howard" is the biggest and stronges center in the NBA? Did you forget about SHAQ, who is much bigger and stronger than Howard. Howard is a far cry from being calld "Superman".
Shaq is like a hundred years old. He looks bigger but he couldn't keep up with Howard.
You sir are an IDIOT,Shaq is Fatter(bigger( and he used 2 be stronger, but that was years ago,Dwight is the New & Umproved SUPERMAN.(Period)
. . . Apparently you're stuck in the 90's, CMA. The two people above me pretty much said it all. Shaq does nothing but slow teams down now with his girth, difficulties with stamina and chemistry with new players and his age. Shaq's got 2 inches on Dwight and about 60 pounds, yeah, but that really doesn't mean anything.
Just look at the numbers ;)
boo hoo hoo
I've been watching nba all my life and that Detroit game was the worst officiated regular season game I have ever seen. It was shameful and depressing cause deep down inside that tim Donaghy fiasco is smelling a lot like Canseco.
Bigs get fouled with no calls - well ok league wants to speed up pace and scoring - i'm sort of fine with that.
Quality bigs get fouled hard alot - well ok league balances out sort of and bigs have to make foul shots - i'm not really ok with that but ok.
But the Detroit tactics and ref calls in that game were all together different - there were at least 5 malicious flagrant fouls on Howard a couple without him even having the ball - you know how hard you have to foul to throw a 7' 300 lb muscled specimen like Howard to the ground (with both his feet planted) - one sequence had two detroit players grabbing each of his arms and swinging him face down to the ground - it was brutal. If you say let the players play - well on the following posession DH catches ball in post and in an one of the most ridiculous worst acted flops to the floor ever detroits man flies to the floor with this giant squeal - it was comical - Howard gets a foul and a split second later a tech for raising his arms in disbelief - it was like watching pro wrestling...just terrible and depressing.
CMA Man didn`t say Shaq is still better than Dwight, though both were all stars last season, he said Shaq was bigger and stronger, which is, of course, still true. And Dwight will never be remotely as good as Shaq was, which matters little name. Maybe Dwight is Super-Boy, but Shaq is still the aging, fading, Super-Man. And yes, the Nba should call the chicken wing Dwight thru in the photo, traveling, techs, and various others things. Slow the game to a crawl, TOS every body out, if they have to, and get the athletes playing within the rules on both sides for a change, instead of letting both sides flout the rules.
Your so funny. Mark my words that Dwight Howard will be a better pro than Shaq was in his prime. Shaq never really had any type of game and certainly had no touch what-so-ever. Shaq just used his backside and backed his way down into the lane. Howard is already a better foul shooter than Shaq ever was (and he makes it when it counts), better defensive player and his burgeoning offensive game is become an arsenal. Shaq had to be right in the land to score ... Howard doesn't. It's going to be really crazy when Orlando gets Chris Bosh next summer as well. look out.
As far as Shaq being stronger ... not even close. Howard doesn't have an ounce of fat on his body and he is still growing. He's what 23 years old?
Your just a hater.
Amazing how many teams Bosh and James, Yao and Wade, etc., WILL be on. Actually, Shaq cleared out with his left side not his back side. And his stats speak for themselves. So do Dwight`s. And they don`t say very much yet. But live on fantasies about possible futures if you prefer. I hope Dwight does well. I don`t think Rashard needs Chris backing him up. Maybe Dwight will get a championship thies year and/or next, two would still be half the number Shaq earned, and he was mvp for 3 of them.
Howard is going through the same stuff Shaq went through. Hacking and flopping. Ezzzzz was right though, that Detroit game was hideous they were litteraly throwing dwight to the ground with no fouls called. Yet dwight is called for ticky tack fouls on the other end. I never seen an offensive player and DPOY get robbed as much as howard does.