Was #35 better than Josh Howard?NBA TV showed a Cavs vs. Celtics game from the 1992 Eastern Conference semifinals yesterday. That Celtics squad not only featured Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale (and a young benchwarmer named Rick Fox), but also Reggie Lewis.
Some of the young’ns in the office were asking what current player Reggie Lewis could be compared to. The comparison is tough. Reggie was such a tremendous scorer, averaging 20.8 points in each of his final two seasons, but he wasn’t a three-point threat. He could shoot, though, and was a terrific slasher. He was an improving defender who used his length and athleticism and always seemed to be picking up steals. Reggie was sort of a combination of Paul Pierce, Rip Hamilton and Josh Howard, but without the threes. Rudy Gay was actually nicknamed “Big Truck” by an AAU coach in his native Baltimore because he reminded him so much of Lewis, a B’more legend who went by “Truck.” To me, the closest comparison is probably Josh Howard, but that really doesn’t do Lewis justice. Reggie passed at the age of 27, and who knew what the peak of his career would have looked like.
For those of you who watched Reggie, school the youth on who #35 reminds you of in the comments section.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
VQ says:
I say you nailed it on the head..Josh Howard.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Iceman says:
not as good grant hill?
May 9th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Yup Yup says:
Rudy Gay is a bad comparison. Loul Deng is who I think of.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:03 am
YOUNGFED says:
WTF is Reggie Lewis
May 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Going Green says:
Reggie. Where to start. People forget that when Reggie passed he had only been without Larry for a year. Maybe two years, but I think one. Reggie was a late bloomer and would have been much better at 29/30 than 26/27. It’s hard to find someone to compare him too. He was just getting to that next level, but he would have gotten there.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:09 am
GEE...Don't be pullin on my church clothes! says:
Imma go Grant Hill too on this one.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:10 am
The Jed says:
Take it back YOUNGFED. Take it back.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:15 am
doc says:
Youngfed thats out of pocket.Reggie was nice but he wasnt fuckin with a prime Grant lets not get carried away.He was a all star not a superstar.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:29 am
DaPro says:
Better shooter and pure scorer than Josh Howard. I’m thinking a slimmer version of Melo in the way that he scores without shooting the 3. Not to say his game is similar but they way he gets buckets is.
Reggie was nice, I remember dude being razon thin but could still muscle up a shot in traffic. For you young fellas Google Reg and get your popcorn ready.
His game was nothing like Grant Hill. Hill was strickly a slasher with high bball IQ. He never was a long range shooter and didn’t have much of a j. Reggie’s J was cash anywhere inside the arc.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Myrie says:
The Jed—
Talk about an injustice to Reggie Lewis…please re-launch this page with a pic of Reggie.
Reggie Lewis’ game was/is a mix of Luol Deng and Josh Howard.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Bobby stew says:
I wore #35 in honor of Reggie Lewis after he died. I was in 8th grade and I thought it was sad/good that a man could die while playing a game he loved. I also put crosses on my shoes in honor of Reggie Lewis. I think Josh Howard and Loul Deng are excellent comparisons.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:35 am
The Jed says:
Myrie - Totally agree. I’ll throw the team under the bus for this one. I wrote it but didn’t post it.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:37 am
DaPro says:
Lewis was a pure scorer, I don’t see Josh as a pure scorer but size wise it’s dead on.
May 9th, 2008 at 10:53 am
srb says:
I remember watching that playoff game when he collapsed against the Charlotte Hornets. I think the game was in Charlotte.. and they were playing down at one end while he was laying on the floor for several seconds at the other until they rushed over to him.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:28 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Reggie was like Josh Howard…Minus the WEED
May 9th, 2008 at 11:33 am
doc says:
How u know minus the weed
May 9th, 2008 at 11:33 am
doc says:
couldve been plus the coke
May 9th, 2008 at 11:34 am
K Dizzle says:
The comparison to Luol Deng and Josh Howard is perfect. Dude could score from anywhere and played lock-down d
May 9th, 2008 at 11:34 am
The Jed says:
And there it is. I was wondering when that was going to come up.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:37 am
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Good lookin doc
May 9th, 2008 at 11:39 am
doc says:
u welcome mox we know he played with his nose he was nice though
May 9th, 2008 at 11:41 am
YOUNGFED says:
Was that the guy that had the heart attack on the court?
and Jed you silly as hell bruh.
May 9th, 2008 at 11:49 am
alex says:
yeah Josh Howard size, and Luol Deng moves. more of a midrange jumper player instead of a slasher.
May 9th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
CJ says:
Yeah i like DaPro’s breakdown. josh plays bigger, but reggie was a much better perimeter defender. and josh doesn’t have the stroke or handle reggie had. offensively he reminds me a bit of rip and joe johnson (nice pull up off the dribble). but grant? naw. Doc’s right. hill was killer in his prime.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
JDizzle says:
I somewhat agree with the Josh Howard comparison, but I remember Reggie being really herky jerky, more like Rashard Lewis’ body type. Josh Howard is pretty smooth.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
MSkittle says:
To me, he was like Rudy Gay. Smooth, mad offensive game.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Bo Fresh says:
I was at Reggie’s last game when he passed out against the Hornets. I was in HS and everyone I was with was yelling at him to get up (typical Boston guys)…no one knew how serious it was. I still feel bad about that.
Not many people outside of Boston appreciated him the way we did….his funeral was open to the public at Northeastern and was packed with everyday people just paying their respect to a classy, but nasty, ball player.
May 10th, 2008 at 2:40 am
vince says:
al thornton