When Dwight Howard was 14, growing up in Atlanta, he got a bigger kick out of face-up bank shots than dunks.
“I never really wanted to dunk,” the 6-11 Charlotte Hornets center recalled Monday. “I said, ‘Once I start dunking, I won’t be able to stop.’ So they said ‘You need to start dunking on everybody!’’’
Thirteen NBA seasons later, Howard is still dunking on everybody, to an extent it’s changing how teams must guard the Hornets. Last season, according to Elias Sports Bureau, the Hornets scored off just 17 lob passes the entire season.
This season, entering Tuesday’s road game against the New York Knicks, the Hornets have completed 10 lob plays, with plenty more to come.