The Boston Celtics just dispatched the Orlando Magic, 109-106 at the TD Garden in Boston. All game long, Magic center Dwight Howard, considered one of the toughest and best players in the NBA, was smiling and joking with his teammates and the Celtics players. After a tough foul, Dwight would try to ham it up with the offending player. After rough plays, he was seen joking and laughing with teammates.
On more than a few occasions, Howard laughed right in Kevin Garnett’s face, trying like mad to goad Garnett into a laugh, to break his ultra-stiff demeanor. Well, as silly as I find Garnett’s serious guy act most of the time, I’d rather my superstar be super-fixated and not super-silly. It’s a problem that’s been with Howard his whole career.
Remember a few years ago, when Dwight Howard was in the Dunk Contest with Nate Robinson? I still do- I won’t forget. Howard came out of a phone booth with his phony “Superman” costume and did a dunk any other seven-footer could do.
Out comes Nate Robinson, the spritely guard who was, at the time, playing for the Knicks. Robinson wore his Knicks uniform, only it was decked out in neon green detail- kryptonite- along with his neon green sneakers. Howard then proceeded to let Robinson- actual height less than 5’9”- dunk over him for the win.
Honestly, what self-respecting big guy lets the smallest guy win any contest, at his own expense, no less?
It’s why, in 2009, when Garnett was out with a knee injury, Howard and the Magic could take advantage and beat the Celtics in the playoffs. In 2010, it was a different story, as a healthy Garnett meant Howard’s games wouldn’t be played.
Maybe it’s just the way the Celtics are. They’re as high-strung as any team that knows their window isn’t open for much longer. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Shaquille O’Neal all know they haven’t got much time left, and the time is now to grab another title.
Dwight Howard is a huge baby who cries when people touch him and laughs when the referees call bad fouls (though I shouldn’t complain while Shaq is on the Celtics); and the rest of the free-shooting Magic are content to try and coast on all the talent they’ve got, which really isn’t a lot. Gilbert Arenas is probably going to break down for good soon, and Jason Richardson and Hedu Turkoglu will shoot them into more holes than they shoot them out of. Brandon Bass is undersized and considered their second biggest (read: ONLY) post threat other than Howard. They’re not built to hoist The Trophy.
But since everything in Orlando is a joke these days, I guess it’s only a laughing matter to everyone else.