The newest superstar addition to the Los Angeles Lakers may be falling in love with the City of Angels while putting up All-Star caliber numbers, but Dwight Howard remains a big liability at the free-throw line for this team built to be a championship contender.
Although Howard’s 18.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game are impressive stats and better than anticipated for a player coming off back surgery, the career-low 46 percent from the charity stripe is killing this team in close games down the stretch in the fourth quarter.
Earlier in the season, Lakers assistant coach Chuck Person claimed that Howard’s free-throwing shooting in practice and during scrimmages was above 80 percent and was bound to improve during games, but it has only gotten worse with opposing teams catching on and the Hack-a-Howard strategy working to perfection.
Not only is the Hack-a-Howard technique slowing down this new style of offense implemented by head coach Mike D’Antoni, but it might be starting to chip away at Howard’s confident as the season progresses. If the strategy continues to work, Howard will be at the line more often then not and will likely cost the Lakers many games down the road if he can’t turn it around in the near future.
Howard does have a case in terms of claiming that the team’s defense in general is the main reason they’re giving up leads in the fourth quarter, but his poor free-throw shooting has also taken its toll. In the last two losses to the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets, Howard missed a combined 20 shots at the free-throw line in 37 attempts.
That’s simply not going to get it done and drastic change is needed to erase the liability at the charity stripe moving forward.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers Rumors: Lakers Resisting Trade Offers From Timberwolves For Pau Gasol
David Stern Wants To Get Rid Of ‘Hack-A-Howard’ Strategy
Lakers Rumors: Pau Gasol Trade To Toronto Raptors Being Discussed?
Mike D’Antoni Not Willing To Substitute Howard Despite Shooting Woes
David Stern Compares Kobe Bryant To Michael Jordan
Report: Lakers Have Rebuffed Pau Gasol Trade Inquiries
Kobe Bryant Is Fifth Player In NBA History To Reach 30,000 Points
Lakers News: Steve Blake Tweets About Successful Surgery
Jordan Hill Frustrated With Lack Of Playing Time Under D’Antoni
Dwight Howard Blames Defense, Not Free Throw Shooting For Loss
Chris Duhon Is Quietly Playing A Solid Game For The Lakers
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant: “I Love Pau (Gasol) Like A Brother”
Lakers Blow Big Lead, Fall To Rockets In Houston
Lakers News: Pau Gasol Out Indefinitely With Knee Tendinitis
Poll Results: Can The Lakers Still Win With Pau Gasol?
Lakers News: Team Recalls Robert Sacre From D-League
Steve Nash Hopes To Return Within Two Weeks
Lakers News
Lakers’ Stars Sparkle, But Can’t Finish In Houston [OC Register]
Lakers’ Gasol Sitting Out Because Of Knee Tendinitis [OC Register]
Miller: What D’Antoni Really Means [OC Register]
Whicker: Thought On Lakers, BCS And More [OC Register]
Preview: Lakers At Hornets [Silver Screen and Roll]
Report: Nash Was Promised Pau Would Stay [Silver Screen and Roll]
Trading Pau Gasol? Is It Possible? And To Who? [Silver Screen and Roll]
What’s Killing Pau [Silver Screen and Roll]
Lakers In 12th Place In The West [LA Times]
What Will It Take To Get Steve Nash Back On The Court? [LA Times]
Hack Is Blamed, But It’s Lakers Who Are Out Of Whack [LA Times]
Pau Gasol Says He Won’t Rush Return From Bothersome Knees [LA Times]
Another Traveling Violation For Lakers [LA Times]
Steve Blake’s Extended Absence Points Out Lakers’ Lack Of Depth [LA Times]
Video: ‘The Lakers Have Just Pooped Their Big-Boy Pants,’ Says Rockets Announcer After LA Loss [LA Daily News]
Court Vision: Lakers Lose Again, This Time Without Gasol [The Point Forward]
Lakers Reportedly Tell Gasol To Adjust To D’Antoni’s System Or Face Trade [The Point Forward]
NBA News
The Charity Stripe: Salmons As Kings Leader; Durant For MVP? [Sports City]
Nets’ Wallace Fined For Flopping; Clippers’ Billups Gets Warning [Sports City]
Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins Doesn’t Have Confidence [Sports City]
Report: Wizards’ Trevor Ariza Could Miss 3 Weeks With Calf Strain [Sports City]
New Orleans Hornets To Change Team Name To Pelicans Next Season [Sports City]
Lamar Odom Says He Won’t Have Any Emotions When Facing His Former Team (The Mavericks) [Pro Basketball Talk]
David Stern Defends $250k Fine To Spurs For Resting Stars [Pro Basketball Talk]
Blazers Coach Stotts Says Criticism Of LaMarcus Aldridge Is Undeserved [Pro Basketball Talk]
Avery Johnson Can Be A Bit Of A Control Freak With Brooklyn [Pro Basketball Talk]
Nets Can Hang, But Aren’t Elite Yet [SB Nation]
Carmelo Anthony Is Shooting Wisely And Well So Far [SB Nation]
Deng, Bulls Angered Over No-Call [SB Nation]
How Nets Almost Became Swamp Dragons [SB Nation]
Dirk Travels, Scoring Load Still Mayo’s [Hang Time Blog]
Pacers’ George Goes Pippen Play-Alike [Hang Time Blog]
OKC Adjusting To New Sixth Man [Hang Time Blog]
The Milestone Kobe Really Wants [Hang Time Blog]
