Josh Howard...Dumbest player in the NBA?

[statman32]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/050108dnspomavshoward.b507aaf1.html


Josh Howard hasn't jeopardized his NBA career with one bad playoff series. But considering his questionable behavior, Mavericks officials might be wondering whether Howard is someone they want representing their franchise.

When asked Wednesday if there was anything he'd like to do over again, Howard said, "Hmmm, some things. But overall, you only live once. You've got to keep your head up and stay positive."


Howard practically disappeared during the New Orleans series. The 6-5 forward, who averaged 20 points during the regular season, managed just 12.6 against the Hornets and shot a dismal 29.2 percent from the floor.

After a loss in Game 4 on Sunday, Howard passed out fliers in the locker room inviting teammates to celebrate his 28th birthday at a Dallas nightclub, a source said. The Mavs were down, 3-1, in the best-of-7 series.

Only a few players attended, the source said. But Avery Johnson confronted the players about the party the next day and canceled practice. The players decided to practice without the coaching staff.
The birthday party situation came two days after Howard went on a local radio show and discussed his off-season marijuana use. It was the third time in the last year he has talked publicly about using the illegal substance.

Howard did not address the birthday party with reporters Wednesday. As for the marijuana comments, Howard said, "That's already been put in the past.

"All I can do is go forward. I'm not a bad person. I admit, I've made a mistake, and I've already apologized about that. That's that."

Johnson said Howard was "awfully good to me" during his time with the Mavs. But Johnson indicated that he was miffed with Howard's antics.

"We had some unfortunate situations that happened there at the latter part of the season that I thought was just poor judgment and poor timing and something that I was just totally against," Johnson said Wednesday during an interview with ESPN-FM 103.3.



And I was bad-mouthing Avery for quiting on the team and canceling practice. My bad Avery. You had every right to do what you did.

Josh Howard is a disgrace to the NBA.

[m33p0]

i'm beginning to think that he did more than just marijuana.

[Cashville]

Howard's not the brightest individual but he's been a high character guy most of his career. One weeks should not change 5 years of good behavior.

[hater]

passing out flyers :lmao

damn. that's pretty pathetic

[Red Hawk #21]

This is planned imo, Josh Howard is doing what Vince Carter did to the Raptors.

[Reggie Miller]

Howard's not the brightest individual but he's been a high character guy most of his career. One weeks should not change 5 years of good behavior.

It kind of depends on the week, doesn't it? O.J. Simpson had a pretty busy week a few years back, ask him about it...

[Reggie Miller]

This is planned imo, Josh Howard is doing what Vince Carter did to the Raptors.


I agree, to a point. I think Howard may have been undermning Johnson more than trying to leave Dallas. The problem with the Mavericks is really a Cuban problem, IMHO. The players aren't going to support Johnson (or any coach) if they know Cuban is on the outs with him. Cuban is just too involved with day-to-day operations.

[Cashville]

here's the thing. Howard went behind Avery's back, broke one of his policies. Yet a bunch of them still attended his party, and the rest of the guys did nothing to stop him. Instead of calling him out, they hold a players only practice/meeting?

also weren't Avery and Howard close? What went wrong?

[Str8Ballin]

I bet Josh howard gets good weed.

[boutons_]

And to think the Spurs FO screwed up and passed JH in the draft.

[JamStone]

This is planned imo, Josh Howard is doing what Vince Carter did to the Raptors.

Could be. First they trade his best friend Marquis Daniels. Then they trade his other best friend on the team Devin Harris. Problem is, he's not Vince Carter. His off the court things are hurting his trade value because teams will be put off by the marijuana and extracurriculars since he also disappears in big games.

[Obstructed_View]

Did you lose a bet Jam?

[Bartleby]

Did you lose a bet Jam?

:lol I didn't catch that.

Either he lost a bet or has joined the CoM

[lefty]

The timeout

The Declaration

The party




What's next?

[JamStone]

Did you lose a bet Jam?

Nope. I've never hidden the fact that Manu Ginobili is one of my favorite players in the league. The sig used to be Sheed, but the Pistons been pissing me off, so I just put up Manu instead.

[Bartleby]

Wow! Nice to see not all the non-Spurs fans are Manu haters.

[JamStone]

My favorite two players in the league:

1. Allen Iverson
2. Manu Ginobili

Has nothing to do with the teams they play for. I just enjoy watching them play basketball.

[lefty]

My favorite two players in the league:

1. Allen Iverson
2. Manu Ginobili

Has nothing to do with the teams they play for. I just enjoy watching them play basketball.

We do have similar tastes

[MrChug]

Wow...J-Ho is a real moron.

[Obstructed_View]

Nope. I've never hidden the fact that Manu Ginobili is one of my favorite players in the league. The sig used to be Sheed, but the Pistons been pissing me off, so I just put up Manu instead.

If Rasheed played as hard as Manu does, he'd be in my sig.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I agree, to a point. I think Howard may have been undermning Johnson more than trying to leave Dallas. The problem with the Mavericks is really a Cuban problem, IMHO. The players aren't going to support Johnson (or any coach) if they know Cuban is on the outs with him. Cuban is just too involved with day-to-day operations.

That thought had crossed my mind the other day. Maybe Avery didn't outrightly lose the team as much as they realized he was a lame duck. No sense in busting your ass for someone when you know you're just going to have to reprove yourself to a new coach next year.

As for Howard, yeah, the guy's an idiot. Even with hindsight being 20/20 I still would like to have seen the Spurs take him. Pop and his staff have kept bigger problem children on the straight and narrow before. Nobody can be responsible for him but him, but I think that better locker room leadership could have kept him in line.

[mavsfan1000]

I've been defending J-Ho recently but :flipoff about the party after game 4's loss. GTFO of Dallas.

[lefty]

shit if Rasheed played as hard as Manu he would be the best basketball player in the world! He is by far the most talented player in the NBA, just a little too unmotivated!:toast

+1

[JamStone]

Unmotivated to be the best player in the league. Very motivated in being a selfless player and sacrificing individual stats and/or accolades for team success.

He simply doesn't care about all star appearances, double-doubles, or his legend in the annals of NBA history. He just wants to win and have fun along the way.

[Reggie Miller]

That thought had crossed my mind the other day. Maybe Avery didn't outrightly lose the team as much as they realized he was a lame duck. No sense in busting your ass for someone when you know you're just going to have to reprove yourself to a new coach next year.


Thank you. That is what I was trying to say. In particular, what if the lame duck is a grating micromanager?

When it became a Johnson/Cuban issue, it was pretty easy to predict the outcome. I just don't see Cuban having some great moment of clarity and admitting to his mismanagement, do you? On top of everything else, that's assuming he was the one in the wrong, which I'm not too sure about this time...

[DDS4]

He's 28 for chrissakes. He's not a kid anymore.

Piss poor judgement and a waste of talent.

[dirk4mvp]

I wonder what players went to his party?

[mavsfan1000]

I wonder what players went to his party?
Stackhouse, George, and Magloire. :D

[Obstructed_View]

Unmotivated to be the best player in the league. Very motivated in being a selfless player and sacrificing individual stats and/or accolades for team success.

He simply doesn't care about all star appearances, double-doubles, or his legend in the annals of NBA history. He just wants to win and have fun along the way.

That painted picture is a little bit too rosy, IMO. My take is that Rasheed doesn't want the responsibility that comes with being a superstar, and he's willing to sacrifice team success to avoid it. He's like the really smart kid in class that doesn't do homework or the pretty girl who combs her hair over her face. If Rasheed decided to be the best player in the league he could come awfully close and his team would be much more successful. It's about as selfish as anyone can be who actually gives a shit about his teammates, which 'sheed does.

Josh Howard, on the other hand, doesn't give a shit about anyone not named Josh Howard, which makes him stupid.

[GuerillaBlack]

Stackhouse, George, and Magloire. :D

And Juwan Howard.

[JamStone]

That painted picture is a little bit too rosy, IMO. My take is that Rasheed doesn't want the responsibility that comes with being a superstar, and he's willing to sacrifice team success to avoid it. He's like the really smart kid in class that doesn't do homework or the pretty girl who combs her hair over her face. If Rasheed decided to be the best player in the league he could come awfully close and his team would be much more successful. It's about as selfish as anyone can be who actually gives a shit about his teammates, which 'sheed does.

Don't agree but you're more than entitled to your opinion.

Just like me, you're trying to get inside Rasheed's head and thought processes. Your guesses are as good as mine, but I simply disagree. Rasheed was "the guy" in Portland for a couple years and realized it absolutely takes more than him trying to dominate individually. If he wanted to be, he could be one of the best players in the game. But, that's not his mental make-up. He's always the type of player that puts team ahead of anything individual. And, you have to remember that specifically with the Pistons, he joined a team that had already established leaders and "go-to" players. Rasheed might have been the most talented, but he was also joining a team that had a system in place. Ben Wallace anchored the defense. The offense ran through Rip Hamilton. Chauncey Billups too the clutch shots. Rasheed had to find his place, and that's what he did in 2004. It worked so well, that that's been his role since. Again, he doesn't care about being the best player in the game. It's not selfish of him at all. He's not avoiding responsibility. That's an awfully harsh criticism based on your own assumptions and speculations. He's about team and winning. Always has been. He doesn't care one bit about his individual stats.

It's a criticism I don't quite understand. Because when great players who have the best individual statistics on bad or average teams finally get great teammates or get traded to a better team and they sacrifice their stats, they are praised as unselfish players who are willing to sacrifice and compromise. Rasheed has done that basically his entire career and he's criticized for not being motivated or being lazy. Tim Duncan could have easily averaged 25 ppg and 15 rpg over the last 4-5 seasons. But, with the emergence of Parker and Ginobili, he allowed them to also shine. Well, Rasheed does the same thing with Billups and Hamilton. But, Tim is unselfish and great and Rasheed is lazy and unmotivated.

I don't get it. Look at KG this season. His individual stats have been sacrificed a great deal being on a team with Pierce and Allen. And, he's having one of his best seasons ever. Rasheed has done that for over a decade with his teammates, and he's a lazy talented player that could have been better.

Shrugs. Fortunately for Rasheed, along with his unselfish attitude and approach to the game is the fact he doesn't give two shits about how fans, the media, or anyone else thinks of him with respect to these things.

[Leetonidas]

Howard was just insuring that the Mavericks season would be over sooner so he could start smoking some bud. :smokin

[Obstructed_View]

Don't agree but you're more than entitled to your opinion.

Just like me, you're trying to get inside Rasheed's head and thought processes. Your guesses are as good as mine, but I simply disagree. Rasheed was "the guy" in Portland for a couple years and realized it absolutely takes more than him trying to dominate individually. If he wanted to be, he could be one of the best players in the game. But, that's not his mental make-up. He's always the type of player that puts team ahead of anything individual. And, you have to remember that specifically with the Pistons, he joined a team that had already established leaders and "go-to" players. Rasheed might have been the most talented, but he was also joining a team that had a system in place. Ben Wallace anchored the defense. The offense ran through Rip Hamilton. Chauncey Billups too the clutch shots. Rasheed had to find his place, and that's what he did in 2004. It worked so well, that that's been his role since. Again, he doesn't care about being the best player in the game. It's not selfish of him at all. He's not avoiding responsibility. That's an awfully harsh criticism based on your own assumptions and speculations. He's about team and winning. Always has been. He doesn't care one bit about his individual stats.

It's a criticism I don't quite understand. Because when great players who have the best individual statistics on bad or average teams finally get great teammates or get traded to a better team and they sacrifice their stats, they are praised as unselfish players who are willing to sacrifice and compromise. Rasheed has done that basically his entire career and he's criticized for not being motivated or being lazy. Tim Duncan could have easily averaged 25 ppg and 15 rpg over the last 4-5 seasons. But, with the emergence of Parker and Ginobili, he allowed them to also shine. Well, Rasheed does the same thing with Billups and Hamilton. But, Tim is unselfish and great and Rasheed is lazy and unmotivated.

I don't get it. Look at KG this season. His individual stats have been sacrificed a great deal being on a team with Pierce and Allen. And, he's having one of his best seasons ever. Rasheed has done that for over a decade with his teammates, and he's a lazy talented player that could have been better.

Shrugs. Fortunately for Rasheed, along with his unselfish attitude and approach to the game is the fact he doesn't give two shits about how fans, the media, or anyone else thinks of him with respect to these things.

You and I are closer on this than you might think. I'm going to ramble a little so it probably won't seem like it.

First of all, let's leave KG out of the discussion, because he doesn't belong in it. KG's full of shit.

Rasheed was "the guy" in Portland, and was widely regarded as one of the best players at his position in the NBA. What he realized was that when you are the best player on the team, and the leader, you get the focus when the team loses. What he seemed not to like was the responsibility that came with failure. When you are the superstar, the focus is on you, fairly or unfairly. There have been reports before that Rasheed didn't want the responsibility of being up on that pedestal all by himself; I'm certainly not blazing new ground, here. There were reports that he didn't like playing inside, particularly after Ben left, because it was all on him once again.

Unless my memory is seriously flawed, Rasheed's trade from Portland was greeted with cheers by the Portland fans. I doubt that was because he was a "team first" guy. He's been an order of magnitude more professional in Detroit, but there was almost nowhere to go but up.

Duncan has deferred to other players, but when it comes down to it, there has never been a scintilla of doubt about whose team the Spurs are, who the best player is, or whether Duncan is going to take over a big game and dominate when he decides to. Duncan has accepted the responsibility of being the leader of the team, of being the guy who takes the blame when they lose. That has NOT been Rasheed. Standing outside and shooting threes is not the best thing for the Pistons. Anyone who's seen him in the post knows that. I think the clowning against Philly before he blew that layup was part of that attitude. If you don't take it seriously, it doesn't hurt as much if you lose, and nobody really blames you.

He certainly has almost no ego, which is mostly a good thing for the situation he's currently in. Howevuh (my third one today), there are times that a team needs their best player to step up and save them, which requires a little bit of selfishness.

That was about the time Rasheed got ejected against Cleveland last year. When he finally gets passionate, it's frustrating to see him channel it incorrectly.