The Diesel was a mammoth of a man with the quickness of a cat and the power of an elephant. He was also highly skilled with better footwork and touch around the paint than he's ever been given credit for.
Dwight Howard, for all his tremendous physical ability and fantastic skill set, is not Shaq. Dwight is, however, the best center of this era and the next great Lakers big man.
This fact inherently leads to comparisons, especially since Dwight is following in the footsteps of the man his career has most mirrored thus far.
This actually isn't a bad thing for Dwight. Just as Kobe incorporated parts of Michael Jordan's game to help him reach the level he has, Dwight can mimic parts of Shaq's game to help him reproduce some of the success his predecessor experienced in Los Angeles. Let's explore how.
The Power Game
Like Shaq was during his time, Dwight is the premier power player in the game. He possesses natural strength that he consistently uses to knock his defender off balance and gain advantage.
Just as Shaq did, Dwight can best use his power game when working the low post, where he can get off a variety of shots. Howard loves the low left block because it gives him a chance to go the middle of the floor with his dominant hand and finish with either a hook shot or a thunderous dunk.
As you can see above, Howard uses his large frame to establish position on the left block and then holds off his man to make the catch. He then uses a power dribble while simultaneously dipping his shoulder into his man's chest to knock him backwards. Then, of course, he lowers the boom with authority.
Few players in the history of the league possess this type of ability. Shaq was one of them in his day and Howard is one now.
Quickness Advantage...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
