Atlanta Hawks: Takeaways From Comeback Win Over Rockets

Howard’s Revenge

As you might remember, Dwight Howard’s tenure with the Houston Rockets was a bit rocky. There was plenty of locker room drama with James Harden and he wasn’t exactly a fan favorite. Howard left last summer to sign with the Hawks in a move that has worked out for both sides.

The Rockets may have the better overall record at 36-17, but Howard is 2-0 against his former team this season. This win had to be even sweeter than the first, especially after the sparse Houston crowd greeted Howard with a chorus of boos during introductions.

Howard played like a man seeking revenge on his former team. He finished the game with 25 points and 23 rebounds on 11-for-13 shooting.  His efforts helped Atlanta dominate the rebounding battle, 56 to 38.

Will this serve as closure for Howard? Who knows. But winning basketball games is fun, so I’m sure Howard enjoyed himself. He told the media he was just happy to get a win. The opponent didn’t matter.

"“I didn’t really think about it like that,” Howard said. “It wasn’t like, `Aww, we’ve got to beat Houston because it’s my first time back.’ I just knew we needed the win.”"

I’d be pretty stoked to beat a team where everyone hates me, but perhaps Dwight is a little more zen than me.