Monday, April 14, 2008

The Future is Now

Next up in my series on the recent NBA Commercials: Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. Most of my friends know the strong affinity I have for both these players, and that affinity will shamelessly be on display in a couple of moments.



Dwight Howard: Never in my life have I witnessed a man who I so strongly believed had the potential to revolutionize the way the game of basketball is played. The great bigs of the game (Duncan, Shaq, Ewing, Olajuwon, Chamberlain, Kareem) are all born of a certain mold. They may have moved with cunning and quickness in the post, but they fundamentally were mountains which the rest of the team encircled. Howard is a different type of big man. His physicality is unbridled. He has the agility of a guard in the body of center. His historic dunk contest performance only highlights what is more than evident day in, day out on the court. I can't even tell you where this is gonna end. His potential is limitless. I'm not just talking the culture or the psychology of basketball, like some of these posts have. I am talking X's and O's. With a progressive minded coach, who is willing to free Howard's body instead of chain it to the traditional modes of the post, that list I mentioned early could surely start with his name.

Chris Paul: Speaking of guys who could end up on "greatest" lists, Mr. Paul is certainly on the path to his inclusion amongst the Point Guards. I remember when at the end of last year CP3 started garnering much deserved attention, but I never thought he could take the Hornets this far. So much has been said about Chris Paul this year that I don't know what to add, so I will very briefly weight in on a obnoxious and over-discussed debate, but one which is not wholly without merit: If I had a vote for MVP, Chris Paul would receive it.

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