Denton: Howard Ready for Season Opener
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By John Denton
October 27, 2010
ORLANDO – On Thursday night, the Orlando Magic will unveil to a sellout crowd and a nationally televised audience a towering edifice seemingly carved from stone and glass that also features an array of shiny, new options and endless possibilities.
The dazzling, state-of-the-art Amway Center? Yes.
A hungry, driven and much-improved Dwight Howard? Yes again.
As the Magic prepare to play their first meaningful game in the spectacular Amway Center Thursday in the season-opener against the Washington Wizards, Howard has a proclamation to make. Still just 24 years old as he heads into his seventh season opener with the only franchise he’s ever played with, Howard boldly said on Wednesday that he’s now about to enter the prime years of his career.
``I think it’s about to start for me. I think this really is the start of my prime, these next couple of years,’’ an introspective Howard said following the final tune-up for the opener. ``I think I’m going to reach a new height this year. I think at the end of the year I’ll be a lot better and a lot more confident in myself than I am now. I’m real confident going into the season now, but the more that I play the more comfortable I will be with certain situations.
``I really think the next couple of years, like (Magic GM) Otis (Smith) would always say to me, `You know Dwight, when you get right there about 25 or 26 years old, that’s when you are going to be great and the game will slow down to you.’ He’s right because everything is slowing down and I’m seeing things now that I didn’t see a couple of years ago. And not a lot of things are bothering me like they used to. I used to let people affect the way that I played or media or whatever, but I’m better with that now.’’
Howard’s proclamation that he is just now heading into his prime years has to make opposing centers shake in their shoes. Just last season, Howard became the first consensus All-NBA player in Magic history while setting a new league record when he led the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots in the same season for a second year in a row.
And Howard has come back this season with an arsenal that is more loaded than ever. Spurred on by the Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, Howard went to work on his offensive game over the summer, drilling with Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone and Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing. He made a half-dozen face-up jump shots in the Magic’s perfect 7-0 preseason, giving him another weapon against defenses playing him merely for the drive to the hoop. And then there are the mid-range jumpers from the foul line and the spinning shots along the baseline that Howard is still eager to unveil at the right time.
That time could come Thursday against a Washington team that Howard has routinely destroyed in the past. Or maybe Friday against the hated Heat in Miami, a team that will attempt to check Howard with journeymen Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard. Seven years into his career, Howard feels everything is in line for him to produce his finest season yet.
``This is my seventh season and I’ve got a lot of miles on this body, but I’m still young,’’ Howard said while flashing his trademark ear-to-ear smile. ``Hopefully, this year will be our year. We’ve been working hard and I just feel really good going into this season.’’
And so do Howard’s teammates, who can’t wait to get back on the court and start extinguishing the pain from last spring’s disappointing finish against the Celtics. Clearly a more serious-minded team determined to make a statement every night on the court, the Magic went 7-0 in the preseason and thumped opponents by an average of 25 points a game.
Now, they can’t wait to start the season and show the basketball world that they are a team on a championship-or-bust mission.
``It’s like a countdown and like Christmas when you are a kid. You’re a day away and you can’t sleep and all you can think about is what you want to get and accomplish this season,’’ admitted Magic point guard Jameer Nelson. ``It starts now for us. We’re preparing to play and we have to have that focus. Our mindset is that it starts now and we want to get better every single day that we’re together.’’
Magic forward Rashard Lewis has seen how Howard has worked to get better every day since the team has been together in September – a month before the start of training camp – and he’s predicting big things for the Magic big man. Lewis said a third straight Defensive Player of the Year award is a no-brainer for Howard, but he also sees the center making a serious run at the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season.
``He’s so much better on the offensive end, making great post moves and everything isn’t just a dunk now. He’s making good passes out of double teams, he rebounding, blocking shots and protecting the paint. He’s playing like he wants to make a run at that MVP award this season,’’ Lewis gushed. ``There’s no reason why he can’t win (the MVP). There’s no category where he can’t put up big numbers. Even if (LeBron James’ numbers don’t drop), Dwight should still be mentioned in it. There’s no doubt that we’re going to be one of the top teams in the NBA. The way he plays offense, defense and rebounding and blocking shots, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be right up there to win it.’’
More so than with his own personal improvements, Howard marveled on the eve of the opener at the strides that the Magic have made as an organization in his seven seasons in Orlando. From the time that he was drafted first overall in 2004, Howard has talked about putting the Magic on the map and making the franchise a consistent winner. And he and Nelson, Orlando’s two co-captains, have vowed for years that they would make Orlando a basketball hotbed and the Magic the talk of the town.
Now, with the $480 million Amway Center set to host its first-ever regular-season game and the Magic’s expectations set on winning a championship and nothing else, Howard marvels at the leaps and bounds that he’s seen things grow.
``It’s a tribute to our hard work. We’ve worked extremely hard to get better and all of that work, not only on the court but also in the community and with the fans, we’ve built something that we want to keep going,’’ Howard said. ``(Owner) Rich (DeVos) has done an excellent job of building this Amway Center. I can remember a couple of years ago when they were talking about taking the team to Kansas (City). And now to see how we’ve changed a lot of people’s hearts by the way that we’ve stepped on the floor and played, it’s great. Hopefully we can continue to do that.’’
But Howard said there’s still plenty of work to do. As he watched the Heat-Celtics season-opener Tuesday night, Howard silently seethed at the lack of mention that the Magic got as being serious championship contenders. Miami snagged most of the headlines this summer by signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to go with Dwyane Wade, and the Los Angeles Lakers are still considered the heavy favorites to win it all and capture their third consecutive title.
Howard said he’s used to Orlando flying below the radar. But that respect will come on the court, and Howard is promising that the Magic will certainly earn the respect that they deserve this season with their determined focus and workmanlike performances.
``We’ve never really been talked about and we’ve always been overlooked. We’ve never been talked about like that (as a championship favorite) by the media, but the teams that we play respect us and know what we’re about,’’ he stressed. ``Championships earn respect. We’ve won a lot of games, so winning that (championship) will get us that respect. Other teams around the league know when they play the Magic they will get our best effort every night and there are a lot they have to deal with.’’
John Denton writes for OrlandoMagic.com. E-mail John at jd41898@aol.com. Submit a question to John for his mailbag segment at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
October 27, 2010
ORLANDO – On Thursday night, the Orlando Magic will unveil to a sellout crowd and a nationally televised audience a towering edifice seemingly carved from stone and glass that also features an array of shiny, new options and endless possibilities.
The dazzling, state-of-the-art Amway Center? Yes.
A hungry, driven and much-improved Dwight Howard? Yes again.
As the Magic prepare to play their first meaningful game in the spectacular Amway Center Thursday in the season-opener against the Washington Wizards, Howard has a proclamation to make. Still just 24 years old as he heads into his seventh season opener with the only franchise he’s ever played with, Howard boldly said on Wednesday that he’s now about to enter the prime years of his career.
``I think it’s about to start for me. I think this really is the start of my prime, these next couple of years,’’ an introspective Howard said following the final tune-up for the opener. ``I think I’m going to reach a new height this year. I think at the end of the year I’ll be a lot better and a lot more confident in myself than I am now. I’m real confident going into the season now, but the more that I play the more comfortable I will be with certain situations.
``I really think the next couple of years, like (Magic GM) Otis (Smith) would always say to me, `You know Dwight, when you get right there about 25 or 26 years old, that’s when you are going to be great and the game will slow down to you.’ He’s right because everything is slowing down and I’m seeing things now that I didn’t see a couple of years ago. And not a lot of things are bothering me like they used to. I used to let people affect the way that I played or media or whatever, but I’m better with that now.’’
Howard’s proclamation that he is just now heading into his prime years has to make opposing centers shake in their shoes. Just last season, Howard became the first consensus All-NBA player in Magic history while setting a new league record when he led the NBA in rebounding and blocked shots in the same season for a second year in a row.
And Howard has come back this season with an arsenal that is more loaded than ever. Spurred on by the Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Boston Celtics, Howard went to work on his offensive game over the summer, drilling with Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone and Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing. He made a half-dozen face-up jump shots in the Magic’s perfect 7-0 preseason, giving him another weapon against defenses playing him merely for the drive to the hoop. And then there are the mid-range jumpers from the foul line and the spinning shots along the baseline that Howard is still eager to unveil at the right time.
That time could come Thursday against a Washington team that Howard has routinely destroyed in the past. Or maybe Friday against the hated Heat in Miami, a team that will attempt to check Howard with journeymen Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Juwan Howard. Seven years into his career, Howard feels everything is in line for him to produce his finest season yet.
``This is my seventh season and I’ve got a lot of miles on this body, but I’m still young,’’ Howard said while flashing his trademark ear-to-ear smile. ``Hopefully, this year will be our year. We’ve been working hard and I just feel really good going into this season.’’
And so do Howard’s teammates, who can’t wait to get back on the court and start extinguishing the pain from last spring’s disappointing finish against the Celtics. Clearly a more serious-minded team determined to make a statement every night on the court, the Magic went 7-0 in the preseason and thumped opponents by an average of 25 points a game.
Now, they can’t wait to start the season and show the basketball world that they are a team on a championship-or-bust mission.
``It’s like a countdown and like Christmas when you are a kid. You’re a day away and you can’t sleep and all you can think about is what you want to get and accomplish this season,’’ admitted Magic point guard Jameer Nelson. ``It starts now for us. We’re preparing to play and we have to have that focus. Our mindset is that it starts now and we want to get better every single day that we’re together.’’
Magic forward Rashard Lewis has seen how Howard has worked to get better every day since the team has been together in September – a month before the start of training camp – and he’s predicting big things for the Magic big man. Lewis said a third straight Defensive Player of the Year award is a no-brainer for Howard, but he also sees the center making a serious run at the league’s Most Valuable Player award this season.
``He’s so much better on the offensive end, making great post moves and everything isn’t just a dunk now. He’s making good passes out of double teams, he rebounding, blocking shots and protecting the paint. He’s playing like he wants to make a run at that MVP award this season,’’ Lewis gushed. ``There’s no reason why he can’t win (the MVP). There’s no category where he can’t put up big numbers. Even if (LeBron James’ numbers don’t drop), Dwight should still be mentioned in it. There’s no doubt that we’re going to be one of the top teams in the NBA. The way he plays offense, defense and rebounding and blocking shots, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be right up there to win it.’’
More so than with his own personal improvements, Howard marveled on the eve of the opener at the strides that the Magic have made as an organization in his seven seasons in Orlando. From the time that he was drafted first overall in 2004, Howard has talked about putting the Magic on the map and making the franchise a consistent winner. And he and Nelson, Orlando’s two co-captains, have vowed for years that they would make Orlando a basketball hotbed and the Magic the talk of the town.
Now, with the $480 million Amway Center set to host its first-ever regular-season game and the Magic’s expectations set on winning a championship and nothing else, Howard marvels at the leaps and bounds that he’s seen things grow.
``It’s a tribute to our hard work. We’ve worked extremely hard to get better and all of that work, not only on the court but also in the community and with the fans, we’ve built something that we want to keep going,’’ Howard said. ``(Owner) Rich (DeVos) has done an excellent job of building this Amway Center. I can remember a couple of years ago when they were talking about taking the team to Kansas (City). And now to see how we’ve changed a lot of people’s hearts by the way that we’ve stepped on the floor and played, it’s great. Hopefully we can continue to do that.’’
But Howard said there’s still plenty of work to do. As he watched the Heat-Celtics season-opener Tuesday night, Howard silently seethed at the lack of mention that the Magic got as being serious championship contenders. Miami snagged most of the headlines this summer by signing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to go with Dwyane Wade, and the Los Angeles Lakers are still considered the heavy favorites to win it all and capture their third consecutive title.
Howard said he’s used to Orlando flying below the radar. But that respect will come on the court, and Howard is promising that the Magic will certainly earn the respect that they deserve this season with their determined focus and workmanlike performances.
``We’ve never really been talked about and we’ve always been overlooked. We’ve never been talked about like that (as a championship favorite) by the media, but the teams that we play respect us and know what we’re about,’’ he stressed. ``Championships earn respect. We’ve won a lot of games, so winning that (championship) will get us that respect. Other teams around the league know when they play the Magic they will get our best effort every night and there are a lot they have to deal with.’’
John Denton writes for OrlandoMagic.com. E-mail John at jd41898@aol.com. Submit a question to John for his mailbag segment at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
