<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">2. Dwight Howard, F, Orlando (No. 1) Stats: 9.3 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 1.4 APG (21.4 PRA) Upcoming: vs. Bos. (10/29), vs. Tor. (12/1), at N.Y. (12/3), vs. Mem. (12/4) Breakdown: Right on Okafor's heels. The Georgia native went off in front of his "home" crowd with 24 points and 9 rebounds in a runaway road win against the Hawks.</div> http://www.nba.com/milk_rookie/rankings_041129.html These are the NBA.com rankings for rookies. I think Howard should be first because he is helping his team win. What do you guys think?
As much as I respect Howard as of this point looking at Okafor's stats I think he deserves to be there. He is in a tougher situation with the Bobcats it being a expansion team that just entered the league I do not think his performance, and ranking should suffer for the position he was put in. If howard gets over into double digit scoring and rebounding then I would re-think my position.
Pure Skillz, stats mean nothing. I think Howard would easily record double figures if he was the main player on a team. That is the difference. Howard is playing as just a normal player on the Magic. Okafor is the go-to-guy on the Bobcats. How many plays in a normal game do you see for Howard? Very few, most of Howards points come from him working and getting the offensive boards. Okafor on the other hand gets plays for him and gets the easier points.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Pure Skillz, stats mean nothing. I think Howard would easily record double figures if he was the main player on a team. That is the difference. Howard is playing as just a normal player on the Magic. Okafor is the go-to-guy on the Bobcats. How many plays in a normal game do you see for Howard? Very few, most of Howards points come from him working and getting the offensive boards. Okafor on the other hand gets plays for him and gets the easier points.</div> I dont know how you can judge that though. We can not neccessarly say that being put in the situation that Okafor has been put in with a team of NBA out casts mostly, and no real veterns like Battie, and Cato to teach him would Howard strive? We can not really say, and stats do mean a lot imo pau Gasol his rookie year was a great player, and won the rookie of the year yet his team had one of the worst records in the league.
Right now Okafor is the better player. In the long run, Howard will be the better one. I must say though, Howard has been incredibly dissapointing on the offensive side of the ball this year. For all the hype he recieved as a good offensive player, he's been rather dissapointing. I know he doesn't get the ball much, but I was expecting more than 9 PPG.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Pure Skillz:</div><div class="quote_post">I dont know how you can judge that though. We can not neccessarly say that being put in the situation that Okafor has been put in with a team of NBA out casts mostly, and no real veterns like Battie, and Cato to teach him would Howard strive? We can not really say, and stats do mean a lot imo pau Gasol his rookie year was a great player, and won the rookie of the year yet his team had one of the worst records in the league.</div> Same with Amare Stoudamire 2 years ago. Carmelo Anthony's team made the playoffs last year but LeBron won ROY with better stats.
Its not about winning teams. Im just saying that being a go-to-guy on your team you get the ball more which is more PPG. Howard WORKS for most of his points.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Its not about winning teams. Im just saying that being a go-to-guy on your team you get the ball more which is more PPG. Howard WORKS for most of his points.</div> Still in your original post you said quote <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Pure Skillz, stats mean nothing</div> Which I believe is not true just because you are putting up decent stats, and the team is winning doesnt mean that a player who is aveaging better stats on another team should be over looked despite the system weather he is the go to guy or not if you look at the Bobcats they also have Gerald Wallace who takes his shots, and a few others who like to take shots so Okafor is not getting the balll every play.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now Okafor is the better player. In the long run, Howard will be the better one.</div>my thoughts exactly. I think Howard will eventally be better than Okafor and one of the premier forwards in the league. Coming out of HS is tough for anybody and i think Okafor will have the advantage this season because of the extra experience gained in college. In the long run they will both be great players, but my prediction is Howard will get the advantage...in the long run.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting boogieman470:</div><div class="quote_post">my thoughts exactly. I think Howard will eventally be better than Okafor and one of the premier forwards in the league. Coming out of HS is tough for anybody and i think Okafor will have the advantage this season because of the extra experience gained in college. In the long run they will both be great players, but my prediction is Howard will get the advantage...in the long run.</div> I hope so
As nice it will be if Howard gets R.O.Y., I personally feel that he'll have a chip on his shoulder if he doesn't get it... therefore meaning he'll be a MONSTER in the future. Even if he gets it he'll be great, but I feel that not getting it will be motivation for him. He's up against some good competition, which is good for everyone. (Remember Mike Miller? Who was he up against?)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now Okafor is the better player. In the long run, Howard will be the better one. I must say though, Howard has been incredibly dissapointing on the offensive side of the ball this year. For all the hype he recieved as a good offensive player, he's been rather dissapointing. I know he doesn't get the ball much, but I was expecting more than 9 PPG.</div> It's hard to get more than 9 ppg if you have had 6 games in which you have 5 shots or less and only 3 with over 10 shots a game. Okafor has had 1 game with 5 shots and 8 games with over 10 shots a game including 3 with over 15 shots a game, while 12 shots is Dwight's most amount of shots taken. So the point comparison isn't very favorable to Okafor, considering he gets way more shots than Dwight. Also Okafor is shooting 46.7% from the field. Dwight is shooting 52.3%. I'm also equally disappointed in Okafor's rebounding and defensive game as you are towards Dwight's offensive game. He was supposed to be a way better defender than Dwight, but yet Dwight has more bpg and more rpg. Dwight has had 4 games with 4 or more bpg and he's had 11 out of 13 games with 10+ boards. While Okafor has had 2 games with 4+ blocks and 8 out of 12 games with 10+ boards. You can't really say that Dwight's 9 ppg is that disappointing considering the amount of shots he takes. Most of Dwights shots are on offensive rebounds, he isn't getting many plays for him. If we start giving Dwight the ball more than he will prove to be the superior offensive player also. I'm looking forward to the Okafor/Dwight rivalry in the upcoming years and hopefully it will at least be Co-ROY's.
sports, amen that is what i have been trying to say this whole time. I just didnt have al the exact stats. THANK YOU. I have said earlier that HE WORKS for his points off of his offensive rebounds rather than just get passed the ball.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's hard to get more than 9 ppg if you have had 6 games in which you have 5 shots or less and only 3 with over 10 shots a game. Okafor has had 1 game with 5 shots and 8 games with over 10 shots a game including 3 with over 15 shots a game, while 12 shots is Dwight's most amount of shots taken. So the point comparison isn't very favorable to Okafor, considering he gets way more shots than Dwight. Also Okafor is shooting 46.7% from the field. Dwight is shooting 52.3%.</div> Okafor on average get's 10-11 shots a game, Dwight gets 6-7. I don't think that's 'way more'. Okafor shoots a lower average because defense's look to defend him first. Howard shoot's higher, because most of his points are layups and dunks on rebounds. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm also equally disappointed in Okafor's rebounding and defensive game as you are towards Dwight's offensive game. He was supposed to be a way better defender than Dwight, but yet Dwight has more bpg and more rpg. Dwight has had 4 games with 4 or more bpg and he's had 11 out of 13 games with 10+ boards. While Okafor has had 2 games with 4+ blocks and 8 out of 12 games with 10+ boards.</div> I don't see how you can be disappointed in his rebounding and defense. His rebounding is almost as good as Howards. Also, blocks and steals don't make you a good defensive player. Marko Jaric and Quentin Richardson get steals, but they are both pretty bad defensive player's. And on top of that, Okafor was playing injured in the stretch where he went 4 games without 10+ boards. What happened when he got healthy? Two 10 board games, and 2 others with 11 and 15.
Bobcats, if howard has 9.5 PPG and Okafor has 12.5 PPG and Okafor shoots 3-5 more shots on average a game and howard shoots his usual 50+% then Howard would have more PPG then Okafor. 3-5 more shots a game does matter when you compare players like this with close PPG.
Shots per game are usually based on opportunities drawn up (plays) by the coaching staff, or from offensive rebounds. It is without a doubt a fact that more plays are designed for Okafor. Period. Both are good players, but Howard's less shots taken per game are in fact a HUGE factor in why his ppg are less. End of story.
Well regardless if Dwights getting the ball less than Emeka. This is a competition for which rookie is doing the best. It doesnt mean that because Dwight is getting the ball less and he shoots the ball 52% when he does get it that hes better. No Emeka is doing more to help his team than Dwight has been. If it was a competition of potential than yeah Dwiight would probly win. But its not.
