Maybe now the media's love affair with Dwight Howard can proceed more cautiously.
The Rockets' 3-0 start this season prior to Monday night's road game against the Los Angeles Clippers was met with near coronation.
Never mind the fact that the Rockets' first three foes were teams that did not make the playoffs during the 2012-13 NBA season.
Howard collected 26 rebounds in the opener against the powerhouse Charlotte Bobcats, and had 16 rebounds in the second game against the Dallas Mavericks. He was averaging 15.0 points and 17.0 rebounds, and was lauded for his play.
"Not only is Howard seemingly healthy after spending most of the 2012-13 season with the Los Angeles Lakers hampered by a back injury, but he's gone back to the style of play that's made him an unstoppable force at both ends of the floor," USA TODAY Sports reported. "He's already formed a deadly pick-and-roll tandem with Jeremy Lin, and he makes everything a nightmare for opposing offenses around the basket."
Then came the game against that other team from Los Angeles. Point guard Chris Paul, another guy with something to prove now that coach Doc Rivers in town, scored 23 points and dished out 16 assists as the Clippers hammered the Rockets 137-118.
Howard finished with 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Rockets were being touted as an improved defensive team by the presence of Howard , a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year from 2008-09 to 2010-11. They had given up 93.7 points per game to rank sixth in the league before Monday.
On Monday night, the Clippers scored 43 points more than the Rockets defense was allowing.
Clearly, the Rockets are a more serious contender in the Western Conference with the addition of Howard, who is two years removed from back surgery. But they still have a long way to go to prove that they're better than the Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs or the Memphis Grizzlies.
Howard says he's happier in Houston than he was with the Lakers, and that also could enhance his performance this season.
But the coronation talk is premature.
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