Rockets’ Dwight Howard will play in Game 2
After suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of game 1, Dwight Howard is active for the Houston Rockets Game 2 Western Conference finals match up against the Golden State Warriors.
After much speculation that Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard might not play in Game 2 against the Golden State Warriors, he is officially active for tonight’s game.
The rumors surfaced that Howard might not be available for Game 2 after a knee injury he sustained in the first quarter of Game 1, limited his production for the rest of the game and kept him from practicing on Wednesday. But it was going to take more than a pesky little knee sprain to keep the big man from suiting up against the Warriors.
He is officially primed and ready to go tonight!
Howard in the lineup means a number of things for the Rockets and Warriors. For one, the Rockets don’t have to rely so much on James Harden for all their scoring. In the series against the Mavericks and the Clippers, Howard’s presence in the post was difficult to deal with. He has averaged 16.8 points per game and 13.8 rebounds. It’s difficult to stop him and the Warriors know that.
Andrew Bogut would have had an easy time against back up center Clint Capela this evening. With Howard in the lineup, not only will Bogut have his hands full on defense, but I don’t expect him to be getting as many touches on the low block when Howard is in the game.
That is thinking that his knee is 100 percent healthy. I don’t know if Dwight is the type of player to play through pain, especially if that means jeopardizing his future in the NBA. Kobe Bryant once criticized Howard for not playing when he was hurt back in 2013, to which Howard promptly ignored and ended up leaving the Lakers to join the Rockets, where he currently resides.
His injury must not be that severe, which means there is no excuse for not producing like he has in the playoffs thus far tonight against the Warriors. The Rockets are going to need him with Steph Curry playing so well, so he better be in top form come tip off.