Dwight Howard has been the best center in the NBA for at least the past several seasons. He is so dominant in so many ways, that areas where he could improve stand out like a bad weather day in Orlando during the month of January. As anyone who lives in central Florida can tell you, Orlando is the place to be in January. Most days are sunny. High in the mid-70s. Low in the mid-50s. Oh, occasionally you get a cool, dreary day in January, but the weather is mostly ideal. Just like Howard's play. There isn't much not to like about his game. He's a great rebounder, one of the best of all time and the best defensive player in the league today. He has a wide variety of moves offensively in the low post and can score with either right or left hand. Could he shoot free throws better? Sure. Would he be even more dangerous offensively with a consistent face-up jump shot? Of course. But just like the January weather in central Florida, where you get an occasional 40-degree morning, the minor flaws in Howard's game are far overshadowed by his overall greatness. Still, as great a player as he is, Howard has taken his game to an even higher level this season. In his eighth year in the NBA, he has made a subtle, but significant improvement in his game. His decision-making and passing out of the low post have been outstanding, and the Magic offense is reaping the benefits. Howard is averaging a career-high, 2.5 assists per game. Per 48 minutes, it is an increase of 42 percent over last year (1.8 to 3.1), and his turnovers are down 10 percent from a year ago (4.6 per 48 minutes to 4.1). As a result, team turnovers are down from last season, and team assists (21.1 per game) are more plentiful than in any other season in the Stan Van Gundy coaching era. The Magic rank top-five in offensive efficiency in the NBA, way up from last year's No. 12 and as high as any Orlando offense in the last five years. Magic 3-point shooters, led by league-leading long ball threat Ryan Anderson, are feasting on opposing defenses as they scramble to recover from Howard's pinpoint passes out of double-team coverage. Mostly gone are the days of Howard forcing up shots against double-team pressure. His individual scoring is down from last year (22.9 to 20.1), but he has learned that sometimes less is more. Fewer points from him have resulted in more quality scoring opportunities for his teammates. The differences may seem small, but small things can add up when it comes to winning and losing in the NBA. And like the January weather in Orlando, as long as Dwight Howard is around, the forecast for the Magic is favorable.
