Dwight, Please Stay: We Need You

Dwight, you're laying down in your hotel room in LA right now healing from back surgery. Your teammates went out tonight and laid a gigantic egg in the second half against the Denver Nuggets. Much like you, they're worn out, beaten down, and tired from this marathon of a season that the NBA has tried to fit inside of a sprinter's window.

Your buddy, Jameer Nelson went down today after taking a knee to his calf. They call it a calf contusion and for your team's sake, I hope that's true. They've already lost their muscle, with Jameer they lose their heart.

But none of that really matters right now because I'm talking to you. Chances are that you never read this but I'm talking to you none the less. I'm sitting here, not as some kid on his knees asking him mom to go to the movies without an adult, but as someone who is sitting across the table from you, looking you dead in the eye and saying "we need you."

Being an Orlando Magic fan is tough. We watched our hero in Shaquille O'Neal leave for the bright lights of Hollywood. We watched Penny Hardaway's body fall apart sending us into the famous Heart and Hustle year lead by Daryl Armstrong and Ben Wallace.

Right now you're probably thinking your reputation has taken a hit, that you may not be able to fix it here in Orlando. I'm here to tell you that you're wrong. In 2001, after the aforementioned H&H year, Tim Duncan toured the city with Tiger Woods (you know, the most famous golfer ever), he was a signature away from becoming an Orlando Magic before a heart-to-heart with David Robinson changed things at the last second. A decade later, his wavering is forgotten and he's looked at as the symbol of loyalty and the rock of a basketball dynasty that's still going strong.

Without Duncan, the Magic moved ahead and signed Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill. Unfortunately, Hill's ankle could never get right and we were robbed of one of the elite wing duos basketball has seen in quite some time. After the 2003 season, T-MAC demanded a trade and we granted him one. We got in return an all-star in Steve Francis and a solid Cuttino Mobley. Once again, we were robbed of something as you were drafted that exact off-season. A duo of TMAC and Dwight Howard could've been something special assuming Tracy stayed healthy.

You see, Dwight, from Nick Anderson's missed free throws to Courtney Lee's missed layup, there's been a lot to "cry over" per say being a Magic fan. But you have a chance to change all of that. I know you're mad at Stan and Otis and possibly feel slightly betrayed by Alex Martins but you need to understand this. Otis and Stan will be gone next year, Martins has always been on your side, and this city and this fanbase is behind you.

I have owned three basketball jerseys in my life. The first was McGrady's, the second was an Eddy Curry jersey I found at a thrift store, and the third is your #12. The first purchase I ever made on EBAY was a Dwight Howard trucker hat with your sticker from the Vegas Dunk Contest plastered on the front. I have a picture of you dunking on Lebron James on my wall. I've seen you play in person twice; once being a demolition of the Lakers and Andrew Bynum last March. I remember you throwing out the first pitch at the Tampa Bay Rays game and making Jeff Neiman look small.

Dwight, you will never be loved like you are here. Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Hakeem Olajuwon; when they return to Chicago or LA or Boston or Houston, how do you think they feel? I can bet it's not the same as Shaq feels when he returns to one of his six teams or the way Wilt felt when he returned to one of his three, or Lebron will feel when he returns to Cleveland or Miami when his career is over.

There is only one team that drafted you; and that's the Orlando Magic. This is your team. This is your moment to really prove that you aren't Lebron or Bosh or Carmelo or Amar'e or Deron. This is your chance to prove that you're bigger than them, that you're going to finish what you started here. You're going to lead others down to Orlando instead of following them to Brooklyn or New York or Los Angeles or Dallas. Like they always say, Dwight, "there's no place like home". This is YOUR Metropolis.




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Top 10 NBA Players (4-7-12): Familiar Face Missing

10 - Andre Iguodala
9 - Rajon Rondo
8 - Derrick Rose
7 - Chris Paul
6 - Russell Westbrook
5 - Dwyane Wade
4 - Kevin Love
3 - Dwight Howard
2 - Lebron James
1 - Kevin Durant

Breakdown - On my list, I have two front court players in Dwight Howard and Kevin Love. They're probably the two best rebounding and scoring bigs in the game which is why they crack the top 10. I'd agree that Love may be a little high but his rebounding, shooting, and passing make him an elite player from the PF spot and if Rubio hadn't gone down, I believe there'd be some MVP discussion. I have 4 point guards on the list. CP3 is the best all-around, but I think Westbrook's ability to run through defenses and go for 40 while a teammate goes for 50 makes him the best in the league at his position. I've always thought Rondo was a product of those around him, but there isn't a better pure passer in the league sub-Nash.

The "Elite" - I think that KD, Lebron, and a motivated Dwight are in a class of their own. To me, these are the three best two-way players. KLOVE is great on O, slack on D. Dwade is good on both sides but there has definitely been a slip in his game. Russ is out of control and shaky on D, CP3 has height issues, Rose sometimes plays D, Rondo can't shoot, and Iggy can't score on his own. That's what separates the top three is that they make everyone around them better while dominating the game on both ends. There isn't a more physically gifted player in the league than Lebron. He's 6'8, 240 pounds, probably has the highest vertical outside of Gerald Green, and at his absolute best, he's probably the best wing player the game's ever seen. Durant is second in the NBA in points per game (more on that later) while leading the NBA in defensive FG%. That means the guy he's guarding shoots a lower percentage than anyone in the league. Dwight is Dwight. Leads the league in rebounding, near the top in blocks, points, and double doubles. Even when he doesn't block shots he locks down the paint while being surrounded by the worst perimeter D in the league (Nelson and JRICH and Hedo, oh my!)

Where's Kobe? - Yes, that's right; Kobe Bryant does not appear anywhere on my list. Laker fan will argue that he leads the league in points per. I'd argue that he shoots 4 more shots per game than anyone else in the top 10 while shooting a lower percentage than anyone in the top 10. Laker fan will argue that he has to carry his team. I'd argue that Laker fan is delusional because Bynum and Gasol are both AT THE WORST 18-10 players. I've ragged on Bynum more than anyone and I even believe it's time for Kobe to hand over the keys and fall back into the role he had while Shaq was in Tinsel Town. Laker fan will also point out that John Hollinger's PER has him ranked number 5. Yeah, well Rajon Rondo is 30th behind the likes of Marc Gasol, Kyrie Irving, and Demarcus Cousins. For anyone that's seen Kobe play this year, he's turned into well, a more shot-happy Carmelo Anthony. Notice how Melo isn't on this list either? Only reason Rose makes it is because he's the reigning MVP and he had (has) his team with the best record in basketball. In case you missed it, the Mamba started a game 0-15 the other night and kept shooting. The Lakers are in disarray right now and a lot of that falls on the shoulders of Mr. Bryant. Andrew Bynum is ticked that he's a second or third or fourth option when really anyone unbiased can tell he should be number 1. I like Kobe and dislike Bynum and even I can see it. Bryant is no longer a top 10 player and the moment Mike Brown realizes it is the moment the Lakers become a contender again.