Dwight Howard’s best 5 seasons
Table of Contents
Dwight Howard, or as some might affectionately remember from his Orlando days, “Superman”, etched his mark into the fabric of the NBA in a way few could. Think about it, for a brief moment, Dwight was THE dominant center in the league, a figure so towering that even Shaq felt the need to occasionally throw some verbal jabs his way (because, hey, there can only be one Superman in the NBA). But what were Dwight’s truly golden years? Let’s break it down, in true Simmons fashion, with a healthy mix of stats, tangents, and the inevitable comparison to a late 90s TV show you probably forgot existed.
5. 2007-2008: Young Dwight Comes of Age
The 2007-2008 season was like Dwight’s version of Season 2 of “Dawson’s Creek” - young, still figuring things out, but undeniably on the rise. Averaging 20.7 points and 14.2 rebounds per game, Howard was a double-double machine. It's important to remember, this was at a time when the likes of Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett were still considered the big boys in the playground. But Howard? He was the young buck, the Joey Potter of the NBA, if you will, demanding his place at the table.
His free-throw shooting? A dismal 59%, something even I could've maybe done on a good day with a strong tailwind. But his field goal percentage? A whopping 59.9%. It was like watching someone play Pop-a-Shot for the first time – miss a few easy ones but nail the difficult shots. This season was Dwight’s formal announcement: “I’m here, and I'm ready to conquer.”
4. 2012-2013: The L.A. Experiment
A season mired with “what ifs”. Moving to the Lakers was supposed to be Dwight's “Cheers” moment - where everybody knows your name. Instead, it felt more like the off-season of “Friends” where Joey got his own show. On paper, the Lakers were like a fantasy team – Kobe, Nash, Gasol, and Howard. But while the Lakers stumbled to find chemistry, Dwight still managed to pull 17.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks a game.
The stat sheet doesn’t tell the full story. This season was more about Dwight's resilience, akin to Matthew McConaughey’s career post-romcom phase and pre-“True Detective”. While it wasn't the L.A. story he hoped for, it showcased a grittier, more tenacious Dwight.
3. 2010-2011: The Peak of Powers
The 2010-2011 season was when Dwight was in his “Breaking Bad” phase - critically acclaimed and absolutely dominating. Averaging 22.9 points (career-high) and 14.1 rebounds a game, he was the nucleus of every play. His usage rate? 26.1%. That’s Kobe-esque numbers for a center. He wasn’t just the anchor on defense; he was also the go-to guy on offense.
I can’t talk about this season without mentioning the 2.4 blocks per game. It was like watching Gandalf shout "You shall not pass!" every time someone dared to venture into the paint. This was Dwight at his prime, a force of nature, the NBA’s very own hurricane.
2. 2008-2009: Almost a Champion
Taking the Magic to the NBA Finals is a feat so unbelievable, it’s like hearing Quentin Tarantino directed a rom-com. Averaging 20.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, and leading the league with 2.9 blocks a game, Dwight was a monster. Remember that iconic dunk over LeBron? It wasn’t just a dunk; it was a statement.
Dwight was not only scoring; he was setting up teammates with an assist percentage of 8.1%. For a center, that's Steve Nash territory (well, not quite, but you get the point). It's a season Magic fans will forever romanticize, the same way I still daydream about the Celtics in the 80s.
1. 2009-2010: The Masterpiece
If 2008-2009 was Dwight's rom-com phase, the 2009-2010 season was his Oscar-worthy performance. Leading the league with an absurd 13.2 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, he was unstoppable. He took home his second straight Defensive Player of the Year award and, let me remind you, he was only 24.
To understand Dwight's dominance, think of it like this: It was as if The Rock entered a schoolyard wrestling match. It just wasn't fair. An astounding 61.2% field goal percentage was merely the cherry on top of his statistical sundae.
The beauty of this season wasn’t just in the stats, though. It was in watching Dwight master the game – the small flicks to teammates, the perfectly timed blocks, the forceful dunks. It was poetry in motion.
