Howard is one of the NBA's most charismatic players.

With 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Orlando Magic led the Boston Celtics 88-75.  The opportunity was there and they were in perfect position…to squander another comfortable lead on their way to a 92-88 defeat and a 3-2 deficit in this best-of-seven series.

If you didn’t have the pleasure of watching this thrilling comeback victory by Boston – even if you were a Celtics fan - you had to wonder how a playoff team of Orlando’s caliber could blow such a sizable cushion in less than 5 minutes.  Well, I watched the game – and there was an answer that seemed easy enough for me to come up with:

Superman had left the building.

“You’ve got a dominant player…let him be dominant.  I have to get the ball.  I don’t think you are going to win a lot of games when your post player only gets 10 shots. It’s tough to get yourself going and get a lot of shots without a lot of touches. We have to get better with that.”

Now Howard’s low post game is undoubtedly raw, to say the least.  And yes, the Magic have very versatile players on the floor in Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu.  And on top of that, if Howard is indeed Superman, then free throws (gasp) are definitely his kryptonite. 

Sounds eerily similar to another former Orlando center, eh??

Dwight Howard struggles from the free throw line - shooting just 60% over his brief NBA career.

Even with all of that said, Howard absolutely has to get the ball at least every other possession in down the stretch of a playoff.  There are multiple reasons for this – but IMO the most important would be:

• When you have the lead in the second half, it’s always a good strategy to slow the game down – thereby, giving the opposing teams less possessions to cut into the lead.
• You will keep the other team’s bigs in foul trouble.
• With a team crafted in Orlando’s image, Howard’s dominance opens up the game for the great shooters that they have on their roster.

And, of course, you want to keep the big fella happy.  Howard is perhaps the most dominant force in the middle these days, combining an overpowering offensive game with an intimidating shot-blocking presence.  The Magic would struggle to make the playoffs (in the Eastern Conference, no less) if they were to replace Superman with an ordinary Clark Kent.

I hope the Orlando coaching staff is listening.  If not, the organization just might witness their franchise player – and championship aspirations – fly out the window.