4. Dwight Howard asserting himself at center
The Los Angeles Lakers went into scramble mode when DeMarcus Cousins tore his ACL in August. Cousins was expected to be a big part of the team’s rotation, but finding someone with his skill set would have been impossible. Instead, they made a risky decision to bring in Dwight Howard, and thus far, it has paid off in a big way.
Howard had garnered a reputation as someone who was a negative influence in the locker room and difficult to work with. Thus far, none of those problems have arisen. Howard has bought into his role and is putting legitimate pressure on JaVale McGee as the starting center.
Howard’s stats aren’t eye-popping, but he is doing everything the Lakers are asking of him. They wanted him to be a presence as a rim protector and lock down the paint with his rebounding. The dirty work was Howard’s task and he is doing it well.
In the three-game road trip, Howard pulled down 27 total rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive glass. He also added 24 points, missing only one shot in three games, with six blocks and used 12 fouls, asserting himself in the middle.
This is exactly what the Lakers were hoping for when they signed Howard. He has been a major upgrade in the same role that Tyson Chandler played last season.