The Indiana Pacers were dark-horse contenders during the reign of Paul George. However, there was one big hurdle in the way of George’s Pacers — then-reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard.
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DH12 was such a force during his prime that PG was relieved to see the former #1 pick move out of the Eastern Conference in 2012. “I know I was happy sitting in Indiana, getting Dwight a** up out of the east,” the 34-year-old said on ‘Podcast P’.
Phil Handy was George’s guest on the latest episode, and he touched on the disappointing super team that was formed in LA during his stint as the Lakers’ development coach. Of course, Handy’s misery at the time spelled great fortune for PG, as Howard’s trade opened up the Eastern Conference.
During his first NBA season, George would be unable to win either of the two games he played against Howard’s team. As a sophomore, his Pacers managed to win just once in their four game season series against the Magic, marking the Fresno State forward’s sole regular season win against Howard in the East.
However, during the 2011-12 season, George would eliminate DH in the first round of the Playoffs. The series wasn’t particularly competitive, as the higher-seeded Indiana roster won comfortably in five games.
Three months later, Orlando would ship Howard out to LA, pairing him up with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the West. Howard’s impact on his conference became clear after his departure.
In the very first season without DH, the Pacers would take advantage of the power vacuum in the East and make their first Conference Finals in nearly a decade. Unfortunately, Miami’s Big 3 were a bigger roadblock than the three-time DPOY as they eliminated George’s team in consecutive ECFs.
Despite their history as Eastern Conference rivals though, PG made sure to give Howard his flowers. “You want him on your team come Playoff time,” the nine-time All-Star said, arguing that the 39-year-old would still make a valuable veteran in the NBA.
Phil Handy, who worked with DH when they were on the Lakers, also displayed confidence in the big man’s athleticism. “One thing about Dwight, Dwight gon’ be in shape,” the Unrivaled league head coach added. “Limited minutes, Dwight can be a great role player. He could be a contributor on any team.”
Howard will be delighted to hear the 76ers star champion his NBA eligibility. After all, he already threw his hat into the ring when Philly signed George this off-season. Like he has over the last few summers, the 2020 NBA champion made a public campaign for the team to pick up his signature.
PG 👀 pic.twitter.com/hXNDPf7U1J
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) July 1, 2024
He did play in the City of Brotherly Love during the 2021 season, and this past July, Howard used a media day image from that stint to remind the Sixers of his availability. Looking at how their year has unfolded, Philadelphia would have actually benefited from the veteran’s presence as they have lacked size in the paint throughout their injury-laden season. It’s not too late to sign Howard on a veteran’s minimum, though it might be too little too late for the 76ers.
