Quote:
Originally Posted by King Glorious
Obviously, if you look at it from the standpoint that Bynum isn't playing, everyone that is playing is giving you more than he is. The discussion was based on if both were playing, which would give you more. Howard is extremely limited on offense. His numbers come on a lot of lobs and putbacks. He doesn't have a go-to move that is consistent. You can't need a basket in a crucial situation and just throw it down to the big man. Very rarely is he able to create a good shot for himself and since you don't have to double him, teammates are finding fewer open lanes. Dwight was only averaging around 20 as the first option in Orlando. It was clear that he would have to give up a number of shots playing with the league's top gunner and with Gasol. I actually think his average this season is higher than I expected. When I say it's unfair because Bynum hasn't played, I mean that we haven't gotten a chance to judge him in Howard's old role, as top dog. It may be a role he can't play but I'm confident in saying that Howard can't play Bynum's role as well as Andrew did.
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If scoring and one on one play were the only measures then you'd be correct in your hypothesis. However you also just described Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell neither of whom would be to be inferior to Andrew Bynum. The fact is that pre injury Howards offensive game was evolving, he had gotten a nice post up game going and had been utilizing the 12 ft bank shot pretty effectively. The problem with Howard (like Shaq and Wilt before him) has always been that down the stretch his horrid FT shooting was a big negative. The biggest strength that Howard has always had that Bynum doesnt have is elite athletisim which made him the easily the best defender of the rim in the game and also allowed him to be the leagues top rebounder as well. He obviously hasnt recaptured that athleticism yet and who knows may never get back to where he was. His all around play at Center including things that are important to post players like defense, shot blocking, and rebounding made him a superior player to Bynum who perhaps had a bit more refined offensive game. Howard has never been the smartest player on the court but Bynum was not exactly Bill Walton either.