Abdul-Jabbar: Howard's offense 'kind of predictable'

[Rios15]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar doesn't see much future for Dwight Howard in all those rim-rocking dunks and power moves from the Orlando Magic center.

The NBA's career scoring leader would like to see Howard not rely so much on his size and athleticism and make himself a player his team can turn to when it counts. Maybe even throw in a skyhook or two.

"He's still offensively kind of raw," Abdul-Jabbar said Wednesday. "He doesn't have a go-to move yet. Right now, he's kind of predictable."

The NBA finals have shown that Howard has a long way to go to be the dominant offensive center the Lakers' Hall of Famer was. The Magic trail Los Angeles 2-1, with Game 4 on Thursday night.

So far, Howard's Superman act has mostly been grounded.

"Kareem is right, and he understands that in order to be a good player you have to add different things to your game," Howard said. "I've tried to do the skyhook just like him, but he had more range and more touch. He was shooting skyhooks from the 3-point line, and I'm still working on it from the paint, so I've got a long way to go."

The Lakers have tested the 23-year-old Howard's skills perhaps more than any team in the playoffs and exposed Howard's still developing fundamentals. They've harassed him with double-teams, surrounded him with 7-footers and shrunk his passing lanes.

The constant different looks have eased the pressure on the Lakers' frontcourt.

"So far, it hasn't been all that bad," Lakers forward Pau Gasol said about guarding Howard.

The Magic big man has averaged 16.6 points per game in the series, made just 11 shots from the field and even fewer dunks. That's down from his 20.9 points in the regular season.

If not for Orlando's shooting a finals record 62.5 percent from the field in its Game 3 win, the pressure would have elevated even more on Howard, who jumped straight from his Atlanta high school to the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA.

Howard is working to improve his offensive skills.

He often spends nights at the Magic's practice facility with friends, shooting hooks and as many as 300 free throws with music blaring at the highest decibels. As a kid, too, he used to emulate Abdul-Jabbar on the playground with the skyhook.

The running hook, not quite the towering shot Abdul-Jabbar perfected, is a move Howard has begun to develop over his first five seasons in the NBA. If he can make it consistently, he said it would take his game to the level of the all-time greats.

His teammates often laugh at criticism of Howard's offensive talents.

After all, they say when you're nearly 7 feet, weigh more than 265 pounds with some of the broadest shoulders and leaping ability in the league, why shouldn't you just dunk? That off-the-charts athleticism has been showcased in the last two All-Star dunk contests, when he's donned Superman regalia and soared seemingly above the backboard.

"If I was that big, I wouldn't ever shoot a jump shot," Magic guard Courtney Lee joked.

Working closely with Magic assistant coach and former New York Knicks center Patrick Ewing, Howard has said that he's still reaching his potential, often saying it's only around 20 percent. Only time will tell if that holds true.

Abdul-Jabbar, who's currently working as a special assistant with the Lakers, agrees. If there's one thing he loves about Howard's game, it's his defense.

Howard is the NBA defensive player of the year after leading the league in blocks and rebounds this season. Leading those two categories in the same season is something the Lakers great -- and only three others -- have accomplished.

But Abdul-Jabbar is waiting for the offense to catch up.

"Dwight is kind of limited offensively," he said. "He does great right under the basket, you force him to do other things, he doesn't have an answer for it yet. But I think that's his challenge."

Source: NBA.com

 

[The Young One]

Cap is right. Howard has no post moves aside from that little hook he is starting to do. I think this is where coaching comes in. I think pat isnt the right coach for d12 . I firmly believe he could flourish if he had a darryl dawkins or a shaq when he retires for a coach. Those are players that played like him when they played and could show him a thing or too.

 

[VC15]

"Kind of predictable"?

Everyone in the gym knows what's coming whenever Howard gets the ball.

 

[dez]

Yeah I wouldnt say Pat isnt the right coach for him, but their games are nothing alike.

I agree with Young when he says he needs a coach that has a similar playing style, but I doubt Shaq agrees to do it since he's become D12 biggest hater lately. I understand what the Magic want to do though, if D12 could develop a nice array of post moves and a nice 10-13 foot jumper, he'd be unstoppable.

Its still possible, and Pat will be there for a few more years since he signed an extension, we saw it with Amare after the injury, he was alot like D12. A primarily drive to the hole a dunk type player, then he developed a jumper. So cant give up on it yet.

 

[Pugz]

Catch and dunk, or catch and hook. He has almost no drop step or spin or any type of post moves. Hell I got bettter post moves then Dwight.

I agree with Young, Pat isn't a good coach for him. But I don't think Darryl would be either. And what Shaq has said about him I'm not sure Dwight could take being Shaq's "student" but that could make him 10x better.

 

[elcheato]

Instead of ripping Howard I think he should start teaching Bynum more, because it doesn't seem like he is helping.

 

[dez]

Nah he isnt going to teach Bynum either, I know somebody remembers the little back and forth they had when Bynum did a spin move and scored on him and was talking sht lol

 

[The Young One]

Cap has a least taught bynum a few moves. His baby hook is pretty nice. It isnt cap's fault that bynum has a low bball iq and cant stay out of foul trouble.

 

[.GR]

I don't care if they know exactly what he's going to do. They aren't stopping him.

 

[Mexi]

I don't care if they know exactly what he's going to do. They aren't stopping him.

he's averaging 16.5 PPG in the Finals

 

[Whisper]

For a guy that's supposed to be really dominant I don't see how we're not stopping him. He averaged 25 ppg against the Cavs compared to the 16 he's averaging in the finals. -9 point difference. At the very least the Lakers are doing a damned good job of containing him.

But anyway... Pat doesn't fit with Howard at all. If I had to choose a big man to bring in to coach him, I'd go David Robinson.

 

[Mexi]

Dwight is like the new age Alonzo
or on his way. he'll be better though