Dwight Howard has been taking it easy this season. The Houston Rockets center has played in just nine of the Rockets' 14 games this season, missing all of their back-to-backs for "rest" purposes. But with Houston sitting at 5-9 with its defense a flaming disaster, and Howard responding well to the workload so far, that approach is changing. From ESPN.com:
"They want to make sure I don't kill myself in both games," said Howard, who is averaging 13.8 points and 13.6 rebounds per game in nine contests. "So maybe 20 to 25 minutes each night until the season gets better. Right now the main thing is making sure I stay in shape, stay strong and healthy and trust my body."
The Rockets play in a NBA-high 20 back-to-backs and already have had four.
"I'm ready to try it out," Howard said. "They didn't want me to start off the season playing back-to-back and putting a big load on myself. But the main thing is my body is feeling pretty good, and I haven't had any setbacks all season. I'm looking forward to it, even though I won't be playing as many minutes as I did in a regular game, just going out there and being able to battle for two nights in a row."
Source: Dwight Howard ready for back-to-backs for Houston Rockets.
It's OK to test Howard out on a back-to-back and see how he responds, especially if they limit his minutes. They need Howard's defensive presence and to limit the number of minutes rookie Montrezl Harrell has to play at the five.
Howard has battled back, shoulder and knee issues over the past three years, and the Rockets' conservative approach was linked with an attempt to keep him healthy for the postseason. With the Rockets in an absolute tailspin even after firing coach Kevin McHale, losing to the Knicks at home over the weekend, the playoffs are no longer the focus. Houston has to get their season turned around.
There's ample time to do that, but it's imperative to start changing the narrative of their season. Getting the most they can out of Howard without risking his long-term health to an unacceptable degree is a step in that direction.
