RealGM

A rare game from Dwight and Orlando's breakout 07-08 season. LeBron also had a monster 39-point, 13-rebound, 14-assist triple double. Here's the box score:

https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200711140CLE.html

;ab_channel=GAMETIMEHIGHLIGHTS

I loved the way the game was played back then, the two man game with a big, lots of pick and rolls and post ups... I wish the NBA would tweak the rules so we would start seeing a variety of offenses again

I thought he was the second coming of Shaq tbh.

Close, but not quite.

The cavs had zero answers against Dwight Howard during this period.....

Karate Diop wrote:I loved the way the game was played back then, the two man game with a big, lots of pick and rolls and post ups... I wish the NBA would tweak the rules so we would start seeing a variety of offenses again

I'd like to see them give something back to the post-up player. Maybe extending the three in the key rule to five seconds. Something small and subtle that doesn't disrupt things too much. The league has embraced shooting enough that I don't think it'd have much if any negative consequence. It'd allow big men more time to establish deep position off the ball.

Dwight used to own the Cavs

Future Golden State Warrior Dwight Howard I might add.

I am starting to think OP is DwightHoward’s burner account. All joking aside it was travesty that He wasn’t in the top 75

FrodoBaggins wrote:

Karate Diop wrote:I loved the way the game was played back then, the two man game with a big, lots of pick and rolls and post ups... I wish the NBA would tweak the rules so we would start seeing a variety of offenses again

I'd like to see them give something back to the post-up player. Maybe extending the three in the key rule to five seconds. Something small and subtle that doesn't disrupt things too much. The league has embraced shooting enough that I don't think it'd have much if any negative consequence. It'd allow big men more time to establish deep position off the ball.

I've gone back and forth on that one in my head, and part of me wonders if extending the 3 in the key would actually result in a further skew to the perimeter, by allowing perimeter players more space to operate / drive which is tough enough to stop with the hands-off defensive rules out on the perimeter...

The only solution I can think of is formalizing some sort of hand-check rule that gives defenders a chance outside (well that and enforcing illegal screens)...

Dwight's peak is up there with any player in NBA history.

From age 21 to 26:

6 seasons
6x All-Star
6x All-NBA (5x 1st team, 1x 3rd team)
5x All-Defensive (5x 1st team, 1x 2nd team)
3x DPOY

20/14/2 + 3,5 stocks + 59% FG + very durable (only 7 missed games) till the middle of the 6th year, when the back injury happened.

After this he got a couple of All-Star nods and one All-NBA berth, but it was a different player and the beginning of the fall.

After the game, imagine someone telling you that Dwight and Lebron will be teammates one day.

GSWFan1994 wrote:Dwight's peak is up there with any player in NBA history.

From age 21 to 26:

6 seasons
6x All-Star
6x All-NBA (5x 1st team, 1x 3rd team)
5x All-Defensive (5x 1st team, 1x 2nd team)
3x DPOY

20/14/2 + 3,5 stocks + 59% FG + very durable (only 7 missed games) till the middle of the 6th year, when the back injury happened.

After this he got a couple of All-Star nods and one All-NBA berth, but it was a different player and the beginning of the fall.

And he maintained those stats in the playoffs. So many greats have their numbers go down in the postseason. Guys like Ewing, Malone, Robinson, and Garnett.

I really started getting into the NBA in the 2009-2010 season and my very basic understanding at the time, about who the undisputed best players in the league were...

LBJ > Howard >>>>>>>> The Rest

He was on another level at the time.

As well, I think it's been kind of forgotten about, because it ended up amounting to nothing, but the hype surrounding that Lakers team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, and Nash was absurd. I truly thought they were going to be on the same level as the Heat. Too bad it never really happened.

Dwight like Giannis is one of those players who you always wonder how even greater they might be if they worked on their touch, footwork, and offensive fundamentals. Their insane athleticism alone already makes them 1st ballot HOFers but if they were more refined they could easily vie for top 20 or top 15 all time spots.

God Squad wrote:I thought he was the second coming of Shaq tbh.

Close, but not quite.

We were lucky to see the first coming of Shaq.. I don't think there is going to be a second one.

jbsays wrote:

God Squad wrote:I thought he was the second coming of Shaq tbh.

Close, but not quite.

We were lucky to see the first coming of Shaq.. I don't think there is going to be a second one.

We had Wilt and Shaq in the first 75 years of the NBA. We'll probably get another athletic, 300+ lb 7-foot center sometime in the next 25 years. You never know what's around the corner. It might be some 8-year-old kid right now who's going to grow like weeds when he hits puberty.

TheFutureMM wrote:I really started getting into the NBA in the 2009-2010 season and my very basic understanding at the time, about who the undisputed best players in the league were...

LBJ > Howard >>>>>>>> The Rest

He was on another level at the time.

As well, I think it's been kind of forgotten about, because it ended up amounting to nothing, but the hype surrounding that Lakers team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, and Nash was absurd. I truly thought they were going to be on the same level as the Heat. Too bad it never really happened.

This! Hah not gonna lie there were a few times where I questioned whether Dwight might even be more impactful given his ridiculous defense and rebounding. He was that damn good before the back injury. Afterwards he was never the same player anymore.

GSWFan1994 wrote:Dwight's peak is up there with any player in NBA history.

From age 21 to 26:

6 seasons
6x All-Star
6x All-NBA (5x 1st team, 1x 3rd team)
5x All-Defensive (5x 1st team, 1x 2nd team)
3x DPOY

20/14/2 + 3,5 stocks + 59% FG + very durable (only 7 missed games) till the middle of the 6th year, when the back injury happened.

After this he got a couple of All-Star nods and one All-NBA berth, but it was a different player and the beginning of the fall.

Yup, this^.

He really was THAT guy. What's happened to the league...
This wasn't too long ago and from that clip (obviously, it's a monster game), it seems prime Dwight would've been more impactful today. No small ball is stopping that (outside of KD Dubs). Took a ridiculous Laker team to put Dwight down in the '09 Finals. Just imagine how Shaq would be today. I guess a healthier body (and more paychecks) is better than banging in the post.

You can make a case the player in that vid would be more impactful then either of the last 2 MVP winners today. Monster.

TheFutureMM wrote:I really started getting into the NBA in the 2009-2010 season and my very basic understanding at the time, about who the undisputed best players in the league were...

LBJ > Howard >>>>>>>> The Rest

He was on another level at the time.

As well, I think it's been kind of forgotten about, because it ended up amounting to nothing, but the hype surrounding that Lakers team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, and Nash was absurd. I truly thought they were going to be on the same level as the Heat. Too bad it never really happened.

False.