Rockets update
Howard’s defense viewed as All-Star Game-worthy
LOS ANGELES — Center Dwight Howard removed the walking boot immobilizing his right ankle and sang his way toward the Rockets’ bus, the sprain that ended his night early Friday not enough to sour his mood or change his expectations.
More than a vision for his play to come, Howard has a promise he has made to himself. Aturn of his ankle would not change that.
“My job is to dominate both ends of the floor,” Howard said of his plans for the season. “The of- Friday: Rockets 113, Suns 111. Record: 30-14. Today: At L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m. TV/radio: Root; 740 AM, 790 AM and 850 AM (Spanish). fensive stuff will come. I just have to continue to get healthy.
“I’m not all the way there, but when I get there, you’ll know it.”
Still troubled “off and on” by the strained right knee that forced him to miss 11 games, Howard — listed as questionable
to face the Lakers on Sunday in the season’s final meeting with his former team — said he is confident he will move past it before the postseason and he and the Rockets are measured in ways they cannot be in the regular season. ‘So obvious’ an All-Star
The Rockets insist he is doing more than enough that Western Conference coaches should select Howard for his ninth AllStar Game appearance. They cite defensive play that borders on dominant and in some ways remains unmatched in the NBA.
“I think it’s so obvious he’s an All-Star,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said, echoing thoughts he has shared on Twitter for weeks. “We’re the third-best (now fifth-best) defense. He’s anchored it. Last time I checked, bigs are more important on the defensive side of the ball.
I think he’s the Defensive Player of the Year. It would be pretty embarrassing to have the Defensive Player of the Year sitting at home.”
Howard leads all Western Conference centers averaging at least 20 minutes in their teams’ games in defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions). He is second to the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan in plus/minus when he is on and off the court with the Rockets averaging 8.6 more points per 48 minutes when he plays than when he is out.
Most strikingly, his rim protection has been the league’s best by a wide margin. When opponents are within 5 feet of the rim on drives, Howard’s defen- sive rating is just 86 points per 100 possessions.
“I know a lot of times guys don’t take those shots,” Howard (6-11, 285) said. “It’s a little bit different. People don’t really come down the lane. That’s something that’s good when the offense is not trying to come down the paint to try to score. My job is to be a defensive presence.”
Only three other centers have a defensive rating below 100 in those situations, none better than 93, indicating Howard’s ability to keep opponents from even trying him inside as much as his ability to contest their shots when they do.
“It’s not just his ability to discourage drivers, which is No. 1 in the league, but his ability to then, if they get there, put them into low-percentage shots is unparalleled in the league,” Morey said. “When he is on the floor, we have the No. 1 defense in the league.” Scoring not a concern
Opponents are shooting just 37 percent in the post when defended by Howard, fourth behind Rudy Gobert, Tim Duncan and Anthony Davis among players who have defended at least 200 shots inside.
But Howard, 29, has been less of a factor offensively than he has been in years, averaging 16.3 points on 57.5 percent shooting. In 13 games this month, he has averaged just 13.7 points on 53.9 percent shooting.
Some of those numbers have been cut by the past two games, when he scored seven points in 24 foul-plagued minutes against the Warriors and five points in eight minutes before turning his ankle against the Suns. He has averaged just 29.9 minutes per game in January. Still, he has averaged a leaguehigh 9.1 close touches (originating within 12 feet of the basket) per game this season only to have his offensive numbers decline.
Howard said he is not concerned his scoring will return to its customary levels. He said his explosiveness “is not always there” but added that is part of the process of working his way back after missing so much time in the first half. Focus on winning
Asked if he would be satisfied if his role is to just defend, rebound and be among the other options offensively, Howard said he will not have to find out, confident the scoring will pick up.
“All that stuff will be there,” Howard said. “It’s something I’m not going to focus on. Just continue to play basketball, continue to help my team win.”
While Morey lobbies for Howard to get a place on the Western Conference All-Star roster, Howard said he was not concerned enough to know he finished eighth in fan balloting among Western Conference frontcourt players.
Still, with the All-Star reserves to be announced Thursday, Howard would like to have a place in New York next month, even if he does not quite want it as much as the Rockets believe he should get it.
“I would love to be in the All-Star Game, but I haven’t paid attention to any of the ballots or any of that stuff,” Howard said. “My main focus is on getting healthy and our team winning.
“I haven’t focused on anything else.” jonathan.feigen@chron.com twitter.com/jonathan_feigen