Breaking Down Dwight Howard’s Most Effective Low-Post Moves

Long before the NBA world at large had turned against Dwight Howard for his embarrassment of a trade saga, the basketball public drilled it into their minds that Howard was to be ridiculed for his lack of a low-post game. An ability to score from the low block is the most revered of skills among big men, and with Howard characterized as one of the last bastions of hope for the traditional center archetype, he faced constant pressure to hone his ability to make the moves that made the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin McHale into NBA legends.

Lost in that criticism was one inconvenient truth: Howard is actually fairly efficient—if a bit robotic—in the post. The game has evolved in ways that makes it more difficult for post players to go about their work without facing additional defensive pressure, but Howard nonetheless has scored at an efficient clip by way of practiced moves and superior physical gifts. It isn't all dunks with Howard; the league's preeminent big man actually has a pretty dependable post repertoire, even if it isn't all that diverse.



Right-handed hook

Howard's go-to post move keeps it simple. There's nothing flashy or all that remarkable about a baby hook from a few feet away from the rim, but Howard generally does a good job of working himself into position and making terms with the unspectacular. For every highlight slam to Howard's name is a bucket in this vein, largely created by backing down smaller players and attacking them in the most basic fashion. This very move is the foundation of a more complex post game, and though Howard doesn't have a fully developed arsenal of counters as of yet, the fact that his hook is so reliable is important nonetheless.



Left-handed scoop

As a result of Howard's consistency going right, he's able to freeze his defender and reverse into a lefty scoop shot. This is Howard's most refined post counter at present, and it wor...

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