Several days after failing to get a starting spot in this year's All-Star Game to be held in New Orleans, the Houston Rockets' Dwight Howard jested that NBA centers must be protected, saying the world needs big men like him.
"I'm going to have another campaign for saving the centers because the world needs us," he told ESPN.com on Friday night. "They might not need us to start for the All-Star Game but they're going to need us to block shots and get things from the ceiling, tall things. So we'll be needed.
Howard, however, understood why he was left out in this year's starting line-ups explaining that the integrating centers and forwards into one category was the main reason why he did not make it as a starter. Howard received 653,318 votes.
"That's understandable," he said. "Now there's no centers in the ballot. We get mixed in with the Kevin Durants and the Blakes and guys who play a small forward and power forward so it's a little bit different. I'll do whatever I can to get back up to the top. The way you do that is by winning and that's what we'll try to do."
Howard is averaging 18.3 points and 12.6 rebounds for the Rockets, which dropped to 29-16 following the loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night. When pressed about his feelings about the All Star starting spot snub, he sounded a bit disheartened.
"Of course there was a little disappointment with everything," he said. "But I want to win a championship and that's why I'm here. Being on the All-Star team is a bonus and it's a blessing to be a part of that group. But my goal is to win a championship and that's what I'm here for and that's why I came to Houston."
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