Dwight Howard picked up his performance in Game 6 of the Orlando Magic's NBA Playoffs series against the Atlanta Hawks, but it wasn't enough to save his team as the Magic fell 84-81 and were eliminated in the first round. Howard had 25 points on 8-14 shooting, 15 rebounds, three blocks and shot a solid 9-12 from the free throw line. But continuing a series-long trend, the Magic shot just 5-19 on three-pointers.
For the series, the Magic shot 37-141 from long-range, just 26.2 percent. It was a departure from Orlando's regular season performance, where the Magic finished No. 10 in three-point shooting at 36.6 percent. The Hawks have a strong three-point defense, but its success in this series was simply wild.
Howard ended up averaging 27 points, 15.5 rebounds and almost two blocks a game in the series. He had six turnovers in Game 6, and that was a problem the Hawks -- and Jason Collins in particular -- caused all series long, as Howard averaged 5.5 giveaways per game.
Howard is scheduled to be a free agent in 2012. There has been significant speculation as to his future. Stay tuned to SBNation.com and Orlando Pinstriped Post to follow the Magic's offseason as it progresses.