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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/basketball/mavs/stories/101707dnspohoward.2cb4236.html
No bull: Mavericks' Howard may be a Pippen clone
11:00 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 16, 2007
By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
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Scottie Pippen was one of a kind.
Josh Howard has said all along that he would like to change that.
And while the world mostly remembers Pippen as the best sidekick in NBA history, and that Howard is merely a one-time All-Star who has yet to win one-sixth as many NBA titles as Pippen was part of, a couple of facts link them.
After four seasons, they both had the same number of trips to the NBA Finals – one, although Pippen also had a ring with the Chicago Bulls.
They both were just finding out how good they can be playing behind – and beside – an MVP.
Howard has said since he came into the league that he's patterned his game after Pippen's, trying to do the slithery, sneaky stuff that Pippen mastered in midcareer.
And, by the way, being a 20-point scorer wouldn't hurt, either. But it's not just about the scoring. It's about everything. It's about having the kind of overall game that made Pippen so unique. He wasn't Michael Jordan. But he wasn't bad.
Howard is no Dirk Nowitzki. But he is a rare talent nonetheless.
"It's a step I would love to take. It's just a matter of time," Howard said. "I love being the sidekick to Dirk. I think Scottie played that role great. He was the greatest No. 2 of all time. And on any other team, he'd have been No. 1.
"So he respected other players. That's one thing I took from him when I was watching him growing up. MJ was the star, and Scottie knew his role. It's kind of like me. Dirk's our star, and I know my role. Hopefully, I can do it."
Howard is aware that any comparisons when his career is over will hinge on earning championships. The Mavericks are 0-for 1 in trips to the Finals. The Bulls went 6-for-6 with Jordan and Pippen.
Those sort of comparisons are unfair, of course. But life's never been fair. Howard has gone through a rough summer with the death of his college coach, Skip Prosser. Howard learned to deal with life and basketball while playing at Wake Forest under Prosser. Those lessons have served him well.
Now, Howard understands that he has the talent and drive to be a special player.
Efforts to reach Pippen were unsuccessful, but he told Mavericks coach Avery Johnson during off-season meetings that he was a big fan of Howard.
"[Pippen] was impressed with him, he just thought there was a whole other level for him to go," said Johnson, who has made a point of showing Howard videos of Pippen, Sean Elliott and other players with games similar to the 6-7 Howard.
Robert Horry, San Antonio's seven-ring-owning forward, understands the potential that Howard has and gives him the utmost respect.
"He's like I was when I was young," Horry said. "That's the one thing we don't have on our team – a long, lanky wing guy that is athletic and can do pretty much everything. I used to be able to, but now I can only do it for one possession, maybe."
Johnson emphasizes that Howard is going to get every opportunity to be a Pippen clone. He already has the scoring ability, the shooting, the slashing and the defensive instincts.
He's Pippen without the big nose in so many ways.
But one thing is missing. Pippen averaged 5.2 assists for his career.
Howard has averaged fewer than two assists per game in all four seasons. And that's something Johnson and Howard expect to change if he's to become the new-age Pippen.
"I think he's maturing to that level, and that's a good example for him," Johnson said of Howard. "We let him run the offense a little bit more, get us into some plays last year. I think that can be effective for us.
"More than anything, I think Josh just needs to keep his body strong. Josh is a warrior. Josh is a stud. Josh can just flat-out play. But he needs to get better, he needs to get stronger and keep his body strong all year."
Josh Howard's scoring average in his first four seasons mirrors that of his idol, Scottie Pippen. A lot has been made of Howard's fast start to games. By far, his production in the first quarter was his best of the game, on average. The flip side to that is he often faded in the second half.
"He's one of the guys I'm really looking forward to working with," new Mavericks assistant coach Mario Elie said. "Josh always gets off to these great starts and then disappears. We're going to work hard on that. He plays pretty much the same position I did, so I hope to lend some expertise there."
It would be another step in Howard's progression. And he understands that it isn't a trip that he can fast-forward. He won't become what he wants to be in a day or a year. It will take a career that evolves and grows.
"There's not many guys who come in and can get a championship in their first four or five years," Howard said. "I know we had an opportunity two years ago, but I'm in it for the long haul. Hopefully, I can get it here in Dallas. I'd love to stay here my whole career."
Especially if it means eventually being mentioned in the same breath as the player he's emulating.
JOSH WANTS TO BE LIKE SCOTTIE
Scottie Pippen won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. The Mavericks' Josh Howard wants to pattern his game after Pippen's. Staff writer Eddie Sefko compares the two at the same point in their careers:
Pippen's progression
ROOKIE SEASON: 7.9 points, 3.8 rebounds
SECOND SEASON: 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds
THIRD SEASON: 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds
FOURTH SEASON: 17.8 points, 7.3 rebounds
FIFTH SEASON: 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds
Howard's progression
ROOKIE SEASON: 8.6 points, 5.5 rebounds
SECOND SEASON: 12.6 points, 6.4 rebounds
THIRD SEASON: 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds
FOURTH SEASON: 18.9 points, 6.8 rebounds