But for Dwight Howard, it was actually a step back—the second time in as many seasons his average declined from his 2009-10 career high of 61 percent. Now let's be clear. Between then and now, Howard has remained the league's most efficient scorer, and the difference between his highs and lows is relatively marginal.
It's a difference nonetheless, though. Over the course of a season, making a few extra baskets can pay dividends for greats teams having to win series against other great teams.
It's also a difference you might be willing to overlook as an outlier were it not for the fact that Howard played fewer minutes and took less shots. Marcin Gortat was beginning to emerge as a solid backup, and this was his last full season with the Magic prior to being traded to the Phoenix Suns.
Howard's 34.7 minutes and 10.2 field-goal attempts were (and are) the lowest since his rookie season, and his 18.3 points per game rank as the lowest in a five-year stretch from 2007-08 to 2011-12.
The lesson seems to be that less is more with Howard, or that it's a little bit more anyway.
In that 2009-10 season, Howard averaged fewer shots than Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson. By 2011-12, Howard led the Magic in field-goal attempts, taking 13.6 a game.
You're better off asking Howard to get his points in pick-and-roll situations and the fast break than you are throwing him the ball and asking him to back down in the post.
As he's become more comfortable with his post game, we've been seeing more of it, but that's likely to change in Los Angeles, and not just because pounding the rock in the paint kills the Princeton offense's prized ball movement.
It's also likely to change because Steve Nash is as good as it gets ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
