194. Another small but promising change_2

Despite Howard's significant improvement this season compared to the last, Zhang Yang felt, while studying the Magic's game footage, that Howard's role in the games wasn't as strong as it had been previously.

Back then, Howard's style was purely blue-collar: defending, rebounding, finishing easy baskets, and playing on the fast break—everything that was right for a man with superb physical attributes but little offensive ball-handling ability.

Last season, Howard averaged only 2.6 turnovers per game—a low number for a center taking more than 10 shots, Perkins, averaging 18 minutes per game, had 2 turnovers.

This season, Brian Hill had Howard develop his ball-handling and playmaking abilities, which resulted in Howard enjoying handling the ball; however, lacking technique, he just bulldozed through, which worked against similarly athletic opponents but led to a barrage of missed shots and turnovers against good defenders.