Dwight Howard thinks that referees this season are playing the Lex Luthor to his Superman.
The Philadelphia 76ers big man told reporters after a win Monday over the Oklahoma City Thunder that he believes he is being targeted by officials.
“I do feel like I’m being targeted every night,” said Howard, per USA TODAY Sports. “I have felt like I’ve been targeted, but I’m just going to continue to play as hard as I can. I want all the Philly fans to know I’m out there giving 130 percent every night. The calls might not go my way. I might seem a little frustrated, but I’m out there to help this team win a championship.
“Sometimes the refs do give me some calls that I feel are warranted — even the technical fouls,” the former Defensive Player of the Year went on. “[But] last game, I got a tech and I just clapped. A lot of my techs have been just really quick. When I’m on the court, I’m passionate. I want to win. I came from old school basketball. So I like to talk trash. I like to hit people, push people’s hands down. It’s not like I’m doing it to be malicious. But it’s how I play. It’s Philly basketball. I can’t help it.”
Howard, 35, now leads the league with 16 technical fouls this season. He is also averaging 6.2 personal fouls per 36 minutes, which is the highest number of his 17-year NBA career.
Indeed, Howard’s role is a bit different these days. He comes off the bench and acts as a pest of sorts to opponents with his physical play. Sometimes, that strategy works out pretty well. Other times however, it can lead to a lot of whistles. Regardless, Howard clearly believes he is being treated unfairly.
