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Dwight Howard Now Encounters Frustrating Double-Teams
BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY
ORLANDO - Trying to temper the steadily rising expectations for Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic coach Brian Hill said the second-year power forward still has plenty of growing pains to come.
Some of those were evident Friday night during the Magic's lopsided loss in Cleveland . Dwight Howard ended up with his sixth consecutive double-double in points (10) and rebounds (15) but was hardly a factor offensively.
Dwight Howard put up just 11 shots, and Hill wasn't happy how Dwight Howard worked inside to get the ball. He was effectively shut down when Cleveland power forward Drew Gooden fronted him on the post and was able to fight through to the other side when the ball was reversed.
"He still has a lot of work to do on sealing people and holding them off to create passing lanes for himself," Hill said. "He can't just let a guy go wherever he wants. Dwight Howard made it difficult for our guys to get him the ball."
Dwight Howard became the youngest NBA player ever to record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game Tuesday night, doing it at the age of 19 years and 342 days. His steady improvement has brought more attention from opposing defenses, ultimately making Dwight Howard have to work harder for the ball.
Said Hill: "The more games he has (like Tuesday against Charlotte ), the more teams are going to start double-teaming him. And hopefully, when that happens, others are going to get open shots. When we talk about using an inside-out offense with Dwight Howard, that's what we're looking for." Turkoglu troubles. A valuable sixth man most of his career, Hedo Turkoglu has struggled so far filling in for Grant Hill in the Magic's starting lineup.
He has had some of the Magic's toughest defensive assignments, guarding LeBron James (twice), Ron Artest and Caron Butler.
The wear and tear defensively might have something to do with Turkoglu making just 33.3 percent from the floor and 35.3 percent from the 3-point line. Despite his increased playing time, he is averaging just 10.5 points a game, down from his career-best 14 points a game last season.
"Are we asking him to work harder on the defensive end of the floor and it's possibly taking away from his offense?" Hill said. "Yes, but I'm not worried about Hedo's shooting." Short stuff. Magic point guard Steve Francis said before the season that he was more mature and ready to handle more responsibility this season, and so far he's backing it up -- with his emotions, at least. He ranked third in the NBA last season in technical fouls with 21, but he made it through the first eight games without one. . .
Reserve center Mario Kasun, who has played just 14 minutes in two games, still is on the mend from a "stress reaction" in his right ankle. Hill admitted the injury has been a setback for the 7-foot-1, 260-pound Kasun, who has practiced extremely well lately. Said Hill: "If he hadn't gotten hurt, he would be getting significant minutes."
New Orleans/Oklahoma City was without three significant players Saturday. Speedy Claxton and J.R. Smith were out with ankle sprains and veteran power forward P.J. Brown did not play because of a death in the family.
Contact Denton at jd41898@aol.com
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