The CSL

The night before the HOU game...

Pre Game

Hollins: "Dwight we're are facing your old team and to insure both your desire to put up big numbers and more importantly...ATTACK the much smaller Faried! We are going to pound the ball inside this game".

Dwight: "Yeah man..sorry I mean coach...I mean the offense we run now has helped me reach my potential and I'm looking at the 6'7 Faried and salivating".

Wade: "Focus big guy, Faried is beating you on the boards for the season, we shouldn't take this team lightly, even without Harden...

Game Time

Wade and Iggy battling on a possession.

MCW: Keep pushing the pace guys! Daniels you need to step up, Iggy is killing us right now! Anderson keep popping out after the screens and I'll get you open looks! Stay on Young...wait what?

Howard on the floor holding his foot and spasming...

The stadium goes silent as Howard is taking off the floor..

Post Game

Howard is out with a broken toe for 50 days but not before putting up 32/15/1 w/ 3 stls & 2 blks in 27 minutes in the win

Post Game Conference

Hollins:


"First off I'll say Dwight has been great for us since day 1. This is a guy who doesn't let up, who doesn't care who's on the floor, I mean his goal is to be the best player on either end. Talent doesn't equate to superstardom in my eyes, consistency does. This is a huge blow to our team as our offense is build around one guy and this forces us to make up a huge loss. This is a big test for Klimenko who hasn't have to do anything except defend, defend and..defend. He's shooting 53 FG% in a smaller role but we need him to step up. We need to be smart moving forward...

(Plumlee answered the very next game (in an overtime loss to UTA) with 20/15/2 w/ 1 stl & 1 blks)

Lineup

MCW/[Smart]/Evans
Wade/Burks
Smart/Daniels
Anderson/[Daniels]
Klimenko/Plumlee

It seems something big happens to Howard every year. At least this one didn't occur at playoff time like they did in his two years with me. As long as you can stay afloat with him out, you should be alright.

It's amazing to me that Greg Oden and Brook Lopez have been healthier than Howard throughout the CSL start as Biz is correct though cause Dwight misses several games every yr.

Howard was playing great for you but not good news especially in a contract yr to boot.

Better trade him back home to ORL before deadline and his value decreases.

BizGilwalker wrote:It seems something big happens to Howard every year. At least this one didn't occur at playoff time like they did in his two years with me. As long as you can stay afloat with him out, you should be alright.

Last season Dwight didn't have any major injuries for us but it wasn't a full season. Agreed though as long as he's ok for the playoffs I'm good, just have to survive the next month and a half or so.

Gonna be hard to survive in the West without Dwight. If Clippers can play 500 ball that should be good enough until Dwight gets back.

Its a weird weird game to see him injured so frequently. I definitely would not trade him though.

Jaboo wrote:Its a weird weird game to see him injured so frequently. I definitely would not trade him though.

Honestly, it's reason numero uno why I traded him.

Then of course the biggest piece I got back in the trade went down for the season anyway

Injuries are tough. Derrick has battled through lots of them, including last year's playoffs, so I know how it feels.

If you manage to stay around 50% now, and you definitely have the talent needed, you'll be a playoff lock once D12 is back.

blackice wrote:

BizGilwalker wrote:It seems something big happens to Howard every year. At least this one didn't occur at playoff time like they did in his two years with me. As long as you can stay afloat with him out, you should be alright.

Last season Dwight didn't have any major injuries for us but it wasn't a full season. Agreed though as long as he's ok for the playoffs I'm good, just have to survive the next month and a half or so.

Yea, this could be seen a the best case of a worst scenario. As long as he's healthy for a playoff run and you can survive until he comes back, everything should be fine.