Dwight Howard and Mike D'Antoni did not exactly see eye-to-eye last season. The two struggled to get along after Howard expressed his displeasure in the offense run by the Los Angeles Lakers head coach. When the team was attempting to convince the center to re-sign, questions surrounding D'Antoni were the biggest reason why Howard opted out. Now with the Houston Rockets, D'Antoni predicts Howard's struggles will continue.
Kevin McHale's offense is very similar to one run by D'Antoni. The Rockets let the guards run the show, with a wide open offense that runs more than any team. The Lakers put together the same kind of plan.
"The thing that cracks me up is Houston, the do the exact same thing," D'Antoni said. "And so Howard is gonna go to Houston? OK, so did they talk about change there? Don't tell me that it's that different."
Howard's resistance to conform to that type of offense is what partially led to his Los Angeles departure. While D'Antoni certainly wishes the center well, he believes Howard needs to embrace other aspects of his style of play in order to be great.
"He wants to dominate a different way, in the low post and all that. But he needs to get better there, and he will. But his greatness is in defense and being a physical force. I think he'd be better served if he embraces that," D'Antoni said to the Los Angeles Daily News.
D'Antoni fully admits that he misused Howard and Pau Gasol on the same court, but McHale runs the same risk. If the Rockets are going to succeed, the offense will have to adapt to the type of player that Howard is and his picky needs. The possession-heavy fast break plan will have to form to Howard and his potential. If McHale can figure it out, Houston is in for a happy marriage.
D'Antoni was hoping that having Steve Nash and Howard on the pick and roll would turn out to be a deadly combination. However, both players struggled with injury and consistency. Now, the Rockets have the chance to make James Harden and Howard a deadly combo. Howard can still get the job done, despite all of the critiques on the kind of player that he is not. While he cannot hit a free throw to save his life, he is among the most effective post scorers in the league and efficient on the pick and roll.
