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ORLANDO -- After listening to the criticism of Dwight Howard the last two days, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy Sunday came to the defense of his star center, whose two missed free throws near the end of regulation in Game 4 of the NBA Finals cost his team a victory.The Magic are trailing the Los Angeles Lakers, 3-1, facing elimination tonight.
"It [the criticism] just kind of pissed me off,'' Van Gundy said after the team's morning workout. "I think for whatever reason, he [Dwight] hasn't been treated fairly. The guy just went out and got 21 rebounds, nine blocked shots. He's 23 years old, and sure he has things he could work on, but can we give him some respect, instead of nitpicking everything he can't do.''
Van Gundy believes that Howard should be getting the same kind of treatment that is received by Lakers star Kobe Bryant and Cavs star LeBron James. The Magic beat James and the Cavs to win the Eastern Conference and advance to the Finals. "Dwight will have been to more NBA Finals games than LeBron has, but certain people are on a pedestal, and they can do no wrong."
"LeBron James loses against us. He doesn't play a very good Game 6. Now he's a great, great player. But no one would write that he didn't play a good Game 6. All you hear about is that he needs other players. He needs more help,'' Van Gundy said. "Dwight misses two free throws and his offensive game isn't good enough. I don't understand that. Dwight will have been to more NBA Finals games than LeBron has, but certain people are on a pedestal, and they can do no wrong.''
Although Van Gundy's memory can be selective, he said he was surprised the Bryant didn't get the same kind criticism after Game 3 that Howard got after Game 4. In Game 3, Bryant missed five of his 10 free throws when the Lakers lost 108-104.
"Believe me, I'm not being critical of Kobe, but sometimes guys just miss, and you leave it at that. But Kobe misses five, and everyone says he's tired. Dwight misses a couple, and his offensive game sucks. I don't understand that thinking. It's not fair, but that's the way it is.''
Howard has averaged 16.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 4.25 blocked shots in the Finals. His nine blocks Thursday are an NBA Finals record.
"For whatever reason, there are certain guys, certain teams that are sort of on this list, that when things go wrong for them, there are a list of excuses you guys (in the media) use,'' Van Gundy said. "Other guys (like Howard), they make one little mistake, and they are criticized. Dwight has been too heavily criticized throughout these playoffs.''
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