Dwight’s Trying To Eat Some Cookies
Dwight Howard (photo. Mannion)
Can you imagine how Dwight Howard felt watching the LeBron and Kobe commercials on TV? If the media (or Nike) had their way, there would have been no Eastern or Western Conference finals. LeBron and Kobe were destined to meet in the Championship. To have four of the biggest names in the NBA competing on the grand stage of greatness, and to exclude two of them from the start, was total disrespect. Dwight Howard made it his business to put a stop to what people were already claiming to be “one of the best NBA Finals ever.”
To put LeBron in the same category as some of the greats such as Jordan, Magic and Bird, you have to earn jewelry. Now Dwight has his opportunity to put his bid in. Howard became a man when he called out Coach Van Gundy after losing Game 2 and pulling a T.O. All eyes were on Superman, it was put up or shut up and Howard definitely put up in Game 6 scoring 40 points and grabbing 14 boards.
In an essence, the puppet commercials served as motivation for Howard. The term motivation has come up a lot in the playoffs regarding key role players such as Lamar Odom and JR Smith, and that same motivation is what made Howard put the team on his back and get a shot at the title. While Dwight might not be a “Most Valuable Puppet,” I personally think that he’s pretty hungry and could eat a whole jar full of chocolate chip cookies.
What do you think?
June 1st, 2009 at 1:03 pm
karizmatic says:
Dwight Howard shouldn’t have taken the puppets personally, he doesn’t have a Nike contract.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Kudabeen says:
As I was explaining to my girl why Dwight calling out his coach/team in such a big game could serve as a Rites of Passage into Legend he follows that up by starting to knock down freethrows at a rate Shaq has never touched (just like that), He starts setting his team up better, he gets smart about his foul situation, and he attacks even more and show people that he has moves to score. All of his 40 points were in the paint, but they weren’t just dunks. He had quite a few moves he pulled out. The nastiest being that power inside dribble, spin back to his right on the left box and powerful finish with the right hand. nasty.
He was the picture of hunger. I thought that would be LeBron going for 50 to get the game 7. I really didn’t know Dwight had that in his stomach. He was a monster.
LA has a problem, but the same way Dwight grew there is an opportunity for Pau and Bynum to grow. If Bynum rises to the challenge all the haters go away (for now). If Pau is forced to guard Dwight, because Bynum isn’t ready and does a remotely good job taking the pounding all of his ’soft’ labels go away (for now).
It is going to be a great series. Will Dwight be able to attack the Lakers the same? Will Bynum show us anything, does he have pride enough to take advantage of matching up against the top young big?
I hope Jameer comes back and atctually contributes without taking the team of course. I don’t think he would, because the offense runs through Turk and Dwight.
This Finals is going to be great.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Kudabeen says:
It wasn’t just the puppets it was all the pundits that were speaking as if it were a foregone conclusion.
I will say who would’ve have known that Dwight would hit Freethrows, Rafer would shoot well, Turk would not shrink against a good defensive team, Rashard would actually drive the ball on his own accord, and Mickael Pietrus would be a one man army?
I say use whatever you need to get the Chip. Just keep hitting your Freethrows and you are a weapon that will get championships…
June 1st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
L.A. WILSON says:
Dwight MIGHT be hungry (I mean starving) for some cookies but this year is not his year. Sorry Magic fans but you are coming up against a pissed off Lakers team, still embarrassed by last year’s loss to the Celtics. Before the 1st game, I wish I could slap the hell out of Gasol, Sasha, Odom, Bynum, and Fisher. We won’t be playing soft this year. And I hope that Nelson does come back. He won’t be torching the Lakers in this playoff series. He has too much rust. So if he does play and decides to shoot, it hurts the Magic.
-LDUBB
http://www.zshare.net/download/60652018177a25df/
June 1st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
NTstateOFmind says:
everyones talking about the matchups, but the one i’d like to see a conversation about is the coaching
June 1st, 2009 at 1:30 pm
QQ says:
Nice article…
Dwight saw everyone sleep on him, and instead of hating on them, used them as motivation. Now look at where he is now?
So proud of our best player…
GO DWIGHT!!! GO MAGIC!!
June 1st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Kudabeen says:
Congrats QQ…
I know you’ve been pumping the Magic from the door, so I know it must be great.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:58 pm
dk says:
I wonder if Dime can post a couple articles with out saying Brons name.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Dime Magazine says:
@Kudabeen
I agree with you. The series changed when Dwight started knocking down the free throws. Calling out Van Gundy so far has proven to be a good move despite the criticism.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
@DK, ya right, their whole server would shut down through lebron withdrawl.
And I love how people are congrading QQ like hes the only magic fan on the site lol Wheres ian so i can finally win my “dwight is better than yao” argument lol
June 1st, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Dime Magazine says:
dk says:
I wonder if Dime can post a couple articles with out saying Brons name.
You can not talk basketball without mentioning LBJ… plus he is very relevant to the topic.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Tbest says:
Dwight needs to get over the puppets. Does he not realize that it was Nike putting out the ads, not the NBA? I understand if you talk about the pundits not giving you respect, but the puppets complaint was whack. It was a marketing campaign. I remember Converse doing commercials with Bird and Magic (I think Bird was pulling up in a limo to challenge Magic). It only makes sense to hype your most marketable players and if you can get both of them in the same ad campaign then it’s just smart marketing.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Bron42 aka Had Springs Before Slamball says:
@dime, well we’ve already proven you can talk finals basketball without lebron…until he pouts.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
QQ says:
@ 7:
Thanks Kudabeen. Appreciate it!
Pick the Magic, ok? haha.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Lakers Nation says:
The Magic are going to be a one hit wonder this year . . . just like the Pacers, 76ers, and Nets - who all lost to the Lakers! We’re at our 30th to get our 15th . . it’s meant to happen! Just recognize that!
June 1st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
Diego says:
You can talk basketball w/o mentioning LeBron–and, hopefully, there will be a lot of such talk for the next 4-7 games while LeBron is off fishing. (We’ve managed somehow to talk a lot of basketball, e.g., w/o D.Wade for the last few weeks.)
June 1st, 2009 at 3:04 pm
doc says:
Adidas should come out with a Dwight puppet.Whoever work for them should be on the ball Nike just on point with they players.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:19 pm
David_Brandon says:
see, i think you can talk about hoop w/o mentioning lebron too. its a whole game. one player doesnt dictate a whole league. while certain things big name plaers do affect others, it doesnt mean it needs to RUN everything. you can talk about hoop w/o mentioning herb williams, muggsy bogues, antoine carr, darryl dawkins, etc… point is, its a game that can be discussed w/o having it centered around one person. honestly, a lot of the newer generation ballers dont know the history of the game and its key figures. they just know vince won the dunk contest in oakland, shaq an kobe dont get along, lebron’s a beast, dwade is too nice, gilberts knees are made of charmin toilet tissue and Superman is a brotha now.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Dime Magazine says:
@David_Brandon says:
Superman is a brotha now
lol its about time.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:43 pm
David_Brandon says:
see, we’re on the same page! lol
June 1st, 2009 at 5:42 pm
D.Head says:
I’m just tired of people claiming that all everyone wanted was a kobe VS. Lebron. Yes that would fun to watch but Nike never made any mention of it they were just marketing 2 players that have contacts with them the same as Vitamin water. Dwight is with Adidas and Melo is with jordan maybe they should be asking thier respective companies why they were not marketed more during this time. Cause if anything Nike was doing a brilliant job with their campaign.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:54 pm
jzsmoove says:
D12 does not need puppets. He got his Brotherhood which is aight and tight too. All that nike ad has is a non-brotherhood of two.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:10 pm
that's whats up says:
if Dwight wants some cookies he can chomp on my Nutter Butters