Despite the obliviously wrong 6th foul on him in game three, Dwight Howard is getting more than his fair share of “superstar calls”.  Although some fans of Orlando and the drive-by sports media types are saying LeBron gets them all, Dwight Howard is getting way more calls in this series than LeBron.

Watching these first three games has really shown me a lot about the kind of player Dwight Howard is at this point in his career.  For all the talk about how great he is, I don’t think much of “Superman’s” game.

He is a great rebounder and he can block a shot or five a game (although LeBron has fearlessly driven and scored over him several times while Howard appeared stuck to the floor).  Other than that, he doesn’t impress me as a great NBA player.  He has great height and athleticism for his size but other than a singular low post power move and an offensive rebound slam; he’s reduced to an “alley-oop” or two per game on the offense. 

Has he even attempted a face the basket jumper this season? He has no offense perimeter game and is not a good, let alone great, passer.

Aside from a limited game, he really seems to get away with more offensive fouls than anyone in the league!  Time after time he gets the ball in low and jumps into the defender knocking them back with great force.  He may not always lower his shoulder but he is creating the contact just the same.  I thought when a person jumped into a defensive player who is standing straight up that it was an offensive foul but, apparently, not for “Superman”. (You can talk about LeBron’s ego but when has he ever put a cape on?)

He also has swung his elbows and taken cheap shots.  Not only did he get suspended a game in Philly but he let loose with another high elbow in game three (that missed) and tried to take Mo’s head off on another vicious swipe in game two.

All this and people are wondering why he didn’t get much MVP consideration?  Please spare me any argument for that.  Hes already getting away with more than he deserves. 

I got this quote from a poster at the Sportings News Blog.  Don't know who he is but I wanted to share it with FTS readers.

"

During that final timeout TNT cut away to a young Cavs fan, about 7-10 years old, hands on his head, fingers interlaced, shock and disbelief etched across his cherubic face.  Unlike the other 22,000 fans at the Q last night his iconic pose was not that of mere sporting frustration.  It was the look of innocence lost: the sudden realization his idol LeBron James was not God on Earth.  The Cavaliers were going to lose again.  They were human.  The Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa were dead. 

A second later as a redux of The Shot rattled home my thoughts turned immediately to the little boy (after an audible "oh no" and physical collapse as the shot clock sounded).  The pain I felt for the Magic having nearly guaranteed a Finals appearance was tempered by the joy of a renewed basketball faith.  That tiny Cavs fan expects LeBron to put up 50 a game, dunk every play, and win every night.  With one second left on childhood's ticking clock that three pulled our little fan from the brink of reality.  The make confirmed all was right with the world.  The Tooth Fairy isn't your parents, the Easter Bunny does lay colored eggs and Santa doesn't drive a yellow '85 Honda Civic.

I may be a Laker fan through and through but watching one shot restore a child's dream brought out the same wide eyed kid in me.  Jordan did it for my generation and it's a treat to watch LeBron do it for another.  For that alone we must bow to The King. "

I was wondering when it was going to happen and then the Cavs experienced it for maybe the first time this season last night against the Blazers; the dreaded OSN or "Off Shooting Night"!  None of the Cavs seemed to get open for a good jump shot.......at least not easily.....and when they did;  Clang, clang, clang,.....we were missing badly, especially in the 1st half.

Mo Williams, who has been the model of consistancy all season long was throwing up bricks.  Delonte, who seems to have struggled lately with his shot continued to look, well.....jacked out of shape and way,way off.  Gibson, ditto (athough he finaly hit a three for what seemed like the first time in a month).  LeBron, a couple of makes but too many misses even with the "in-n-outs"

To his great credit presumably, Mike Brown had his troops drive to the rim and shorten the distance in the second half.  Bingo.  The shots started to fall.

 But was this poor shooting an aberration or a sign of things to come?  Have the Cavs become a jump shooting team and should'nt they make a concerted effort to drive to the hole more?