Howard excels in way D’Antoni envisioned
Though no one had previously asked Dwight Howard to fill a role coming off a bench, the Lakers have used Howard much as Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni wanted to when he coached the Lakers. Howard has excelled as a pick-and-roll center, providing such a lift that only LeBron James plays more fourth-quarter minutes.
This comes as no surprise to D’Antoni.
“Dwight’s a very talented basketball player,” D’Antoni said. “If he is happy and willing to do it, which obviously he is, there’s no reason he wouldn’t be successful.”
Howard plays a role similar to what his Houston successor,
Clint Capela, plays.
“He’s doing a good job with it,” Capela, who considered Howard a mentor at the start of his career, said. I’m sure his team is happy with it. I’m happy for him. Good for him.”
Howard went into Saturday’s game averaging 7.7 points and 7.5 rebounds in just 19.8 minutes per game. His 72.3 percent shooting and 6.3 percent block percentage, per basketball-reference, are the best of his 16 NBA seasons.
“It’s impressive. It also shows, when everything’s right, a person’s talents come through and he is a talented guy,” D’Antoni said. He was not, however, surprised, even with Howard’s success coming with the Lakers.
“You’re talking about the NBA. Anything is possible. Nothing surprises me. There’s no reason not to. I don’t think he left on bad terms. It was a tough year on everybody. A little bit (surprised) but not (a great deal.) Same with Melo ( Carmelo Anthony) shows up in Portland and (is) having a great year. The NBA is all about finding an opportunity and making the most of it.”
Chandler stands as first center off bench
With the Lakers keeping great length on the floor, even with
Anthony Davis out, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni had decided to not use his small lineups with P.J. Tucker as a floor-spacing center.
That still left a decision about whether to use second-year center Isaiah Hartenstein or 19-year veteran Tyson Chandler as his first center off the bench behind Clint Capela.
When asked the considerations to weigh, D’Antoni started with, “Experience, who they’re going up against.
“Tyson will probably get the benefit of the doubt more than a (young player) will,” D’Antoni said before Saturday’s game. “Tyson’s had good practices.”
Right thumb injury puts Rivers on bench
Rockets guard Austin Rivers was held out of Saturday’s game with ligament damage in his right thumb that D’Antoni said occurred in Memphis on Tuesday.
Rivers tried to play through the injury on Wednesday, but made just 1 of 5 shots.
D’Antoni said that in hindsight Rivers probably should not have played through the injury. He said he could return on Monday against the Thunder.
Lakers guard Harden in different ways
While many teams facing James Harden and the Rockets have to weigh how far to get away from their own defensive strengths to use assorted “junk defenses” against Harden, Lakers coach Frank Vogel said among the strengths of his team has been to game-plan and adjust for opponents.
“Part of why we’re good is we scheme,” Vogel said. “We do adjust. It is not just one plan for every opponent. We look at what the opponent does well, try to take away their strengths, make them play to their weaknesses.
“This isn’t different in that regard. They’re just more extreme with their strengths.”
The strengths of Lakers’ defense — length, rim protection and elite on-ball defenders — work in any scheme. Still he changed things up, not only switching more often than usual, but sending double teams to Harden to get the ball out of his hands.
“Elite offensive players always are the most difficult to prepare for,” Vogel said. “The support system that teams put around elite offensive players is what you evaluate as much as the player himself, how much help can you bring?
“In a playoff series you would have more time to lock in to all the nuances of how they play, and you are afforded the luxury of being more creative, working on a unique scheme potentially than you would with one day of preparation in the regular season.”