Can Collins guard Howard/Shaq 1 on 1?

[buckeye242424]

Take away the injuries and Yao is the more complete player without a doubt but I will say this again in case you missed it the first thousand times, Dwight's advantage is at the defensive end not the offensive. He is not a force on offense thus why you see that offense constantly neglect him and he can't even see the court during the closing moments of a close game. Avoid that all you want but plenty of guys have effectively single covered him, where he makes you pay is on the defensive end where he protects the basket, rebounds the ball then outruns opponents to the paint where he receives an easy basket.

Just watch the Lakers series, Pau and Bynum didn't even bother trying to get offensive rebounds, once that ball went up and was out of reach they would race down the court not allowing Howard to gain position and forced him to take them one on one on the block where he failed miserably. Would you consider Pau and Bynum in Dwight's league? Yet they held him far below his scoring average during that series, how is that?

How could you not call him an advantage offensively? He's HUGE! Stronger, more athletic, bigger....BIGGER! He doesn't have to be talented to be better. Orlando's play when they're in trouble equaled every player clearing out - letting Hedo drive and throw it off the backboard so Howard can grab it and dunk. How's that not an advantage? It's such an easy cop out. Something I assume every team would want.

[MaceCase]

Probably not. That's what Craws and myself would argue over and over about. Which he would win because he has the numbers, stats, etc. to do it because he's good at that stuff. I'm not. I'm basing my argument on my own eyes. The bottom line is, Collins can't guard Dwight Howard, to answer the question. I would take Dwight Howard as my starting center over anyone in the NBA. I consider the NBA to be the best players in the world, hence I would take him over anyone.

I understand your point and believe me given his age and potential he could hold that title but right now he is a terribly flawed player who resorts to size and athleticism rather than skill. Players without his physicality but great IQ have held their own against him which is why I say he needs to develop on the offensive end. Teams with a good scheme have limited him also thus why the plan of that team has been to surround him with shooters to the point where they play a SF at PF. Just look at us last Friday, we sagged down on him forcing him to pass out the double team (another area he historically suffers in), held him to about 2 FG attempts in the half but the rest of the team torched us. 2nd half we switched the strategy and he just out physicalled Horf with the same move's Horf uses that we complain about.

Collins is our best chance against him one on one but I already said this, in the halfcourt. Anything else and we would literally have to leave Collins where Smoove usually stands on the perimeter just to get back down the court at the same time Howard does. Our team strategy is usually to shut down the middle and force teams to shoot over our length, this leads to a night like Friday where we first limit Howard but his teammates go crazy or a situation like the LA series where they limit Howard and his team goes cold from the arc.

It is what it is Buck but I just don't like Dwight being talked about like he is the boogeyman. :handshake:

[buckeye242424]

I understand your point and believe me given his age and potential he could hold that title but right now he is a terribly flawed player who resorts to size and athleticism rather than skill. Players without his physicality but great IQ have held their own against him which is why I say he needs to develop on the offensive end. Teams with a good scheme have limited him also thus why the plan of that team has been to surround him with shooters to the point where they play a SF at PF. Just look at us last Friday, we sagged down on him forcing him to pass out the double team (another area he historically suffers in), held him to about 2 FG attempts in the half but the rest of the team torched us. 2nd half we switched the strategy and he just out physicalled Horf with the same move's Horf uses that we complain about.

Collins is our best chance against him one on one but I already said this, in the halfcourt. Anything else and we would literally have to leave Collins where Smoove usually stands on the perimeter just to get back down the court at the same time Howard does. Our team strategy is usually to shut down the middle and force teams to shoot over our length, this leads to a night like Friday where we first limit Howard but his teammates go crazy or a situation like the LA series where they limit Howard and his team goes cold from the arc.

It is what it is Buck but I just don't like Dwight being talked about like he is the boogeyman. :handshake:

Agreed!

[thecampster]

Agreed!

Remembering Dwight Howard can't be counted on to hit the big freethrow.

[hawksrule9]

We don't have room for a player like Stackhouse. We need a nice defensive 7 footer. Collins can gaurd all the big man but he is of no use at all on offense.