Dwight Howard likely will be suspended for Sunday’s big showdown game against the Chicago Bulls because he takes to long with his free throws.
Seriously.
Let me explain. First, Howard already has 17 technical fouls this season. For the 16th and every other one after it a player gets a suspension. Howard has served one game for No. 16 (back on March 7) and will serve another for the technical he got Wednesday.
He is also a very deliberate free throw shooter. A number of coaches around the league have asked for referees to asked for the 10-second rule to be called — it is against the rules to take more than 10 seconds to shoot a free throw.
Tonight against the Bobcats, Bennett Salvatore called him on it. It’s a foul and you don’t get to shoot the free throw.
Howard’s real problem isn’t the fouls called against him — even if some are bad calls — it’s his reaction. In this case a frustrated Howard tossed the ball away, not to a referee just away. Salvatore gave him the technical right there.
The league could rescind the technical, but don’t bet on it. Howard got the same foul followed by a technical back on Christmas day (that was not rescinded).
Howard will likely be out Sunday, making the potential second-round playoff preview against the Bulls a lot less interesting.