Things could be at a make-or-break point in the Houston Rockets season, where, down 1-0 to Portland in their best of seven opening-round Western Conference playoff series, Dwight Howard is insisting it's time he demand the ball more.
"We have to play inside out, play their bigs and make it a long night for those guys," Howard told ESPN, seemingly oblivious to the fact that would be a complete deviation from the way the upstart Rockets have played all season long in securing the conference's no. 4 overall seed. "I have to demand the ball, get it and go to work."
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Shooting 9-of-21, Howard led the Rockets with 27 points and 15 rebounds in Game 1 against the Blazers, though the Rockets had little to show for it in the wake of their 122-120 overtime home loss. When it counted most, Howard missed several critical fourth quarter free throws, resulting in him being benched for several important late stretches.
And then there was the way the Rockets' bigs defended LaMarcus Aldridge, who dropped a career-high 46 on Houston, including what ESPN counted as 16 post plays to go along with 18 rebounds.
"We have to go right back at him," Howard said of the All-Star forward. "You have to make him play defense and make him use his energy on defense. Make him have to run around and guard."
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In surrendering home court advantage, the Rockets squandered a 13-point fourth quarter lead, proving simply unable to overcome James Harden's dreadful 8-for-28 shooting night.
Now Howard is convinced he has the answer.
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