http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.p...2c1091c11e94d91
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Wary that all-star center Dwight Howard is taking more hard hits inside than ever from foes unwilling to give up dunks, the Orlando Magic know they have to do what it takes to protect their teammate.
On his way to scoring 26 points Monday night the Atlanta Hawks sent Howard to the free throw line 15 times _ many of them on especially hard fouls. Teams know they have to hammer the strapping 6-foot-11, 268-pound Howard especially hard to keep him from finishing dunks and converting 3-point plays.
Josh Smith, a friend of Howard’s since childhood, once shoved Howard in the back to prevent a dunk. Hawks center Zaza Pachulia locked up Howard’s arm in an arm bar type of move on another play. And Howard was also upset with the way Marvin Williams shoved him while fighting inside for a rebound.
While not advocating hard fouls on the other teams, Magic general manager Otis Smith did say he wanted to see Orlando develop an edge about itself before the playoffs start in mid-April.
``We need to develop a nasty, and play a little bit angry because that’s the way the game is played in the playoffs,’’ Smith said. ``We’re a nice team and have a lot of those really nice guys. But we’ve got to have a nasty about us.’’
Teams are willing to hack Howard for two reasons: he leads the NBA in dunks with 228 and he struggles from the free throw line, making just 59.8 percent of his tries. Howard admitted that he’s frustrated by the shots he’s taken, but he’s kept a good sense of humor about it.
``Imagine getting punched in the body the whole game by a bunch of midgets,’’ Howard said with a laugh. ``Sometimes I get frustrated, but I just deal with it. I just have to make my free throws and finish around the basket.
``I don’t feel like I have to fight back. They are just trying to get me frustrated and I have to keep my cool. I don’t get mad at the players because they are just doing what their coaches tell them to do.’’
Stan Van Gundy said while some of the fouls have been ``probably excessive,’’ that most of them are just a part of the game.
``(Hard fouls are) just a part of the game. It’s one thing if somebody just comes and takes a cheap shot at a guy. Then, I think you would see players respond. But what they’re doing to Dwight are just hard fouls. And it’s tough on him because he’s getting whacked a lot and some of it is probably excessive.
``The best way for him to limit getting hit is to become an 80 percent free throw shooter. People don’t take those swipes at Yao. As he improves at the free throw line it will be more of a decision for people to take those whacks at him.’’
Magic guard Keyon Dooling wouldn’t comment on whether Orlando’s players will hand out hard fouls to protect Howard, but he did say the Magic need to play more physical to get ready for playoff time.
``It’s a more physical game in the playoffs and we’re not known for our physicality,’’ said Dooling, who could be out of the rotation again tonight if Van Gundy chooses to play Carlos Arroyo as the backup to Jameer Nelson. ``We have to enhance that and play to our strengths, especially the toughness aspect of it.’’
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