Thanks For Being So Clutch, Superman!

Not only is Dwight Howard an incredibly talented basketball player but he's also quite the entertainer.

As a fan of the game, I love that. I remember watching with my friends when he threw on the cape during 2008's NBA slam dunk contest and officially earned the name "Superman". Everyone went nuts! Those are memories that stick with you.

Yes, Mr. Howard has natural charisma-- something that you're either born with or not. On the other hand, up until this weekend, he hadn't displayed enough of a "take charge" attitude that's expected from a true leader.

Even though the ballplayer is only 24 years old, he is expected to win championships for his team... immediately. Physically, Dwight's blessed with amazing coordination and the framework of a MAC truck (6'11 feet tall and 265 lbs), so he's expected to be the BEST, right up there with LeBron James.

But did he have it in him? We weren't sure.

The playoffs have been extremely competitive this year. A few matchups (including Dwight's) have seen their series play out to the maximum of 7 games. These are the make or break moments that fans live for. Competition at it's finest.

Everyone doubted Dwight Howard and blamed him for not being aggressive enough. So he demonstrated Sprezzatura and took his fate into his own hands. After consulting with the veterans and lots of self-evaluation, we finally saw a change.

This weekend Superman stepped up to the plate. Rather than waiting until game time, he immediately lead by example. He set the tone during shooting practice, inside the locker room, etc. Dwight Howard worked on the little things behind the scenes that make a difference.

It was necessary because his squad was competing on the road (huge uphill battle) against the defending champs, the Boston Celtics- who Pilar asked me to add "suck!". Come game time actions speak louder than words. This was it, his chance to shine or to supply his critics with fresh ammunition.

As a fine example of Sprezzatura, Dwight put all his tools to work, he left nothing on the table, and played a major role in securing the victory. That's right, Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic are moving on to face LeBron!

Thanks for being so clutch in an extremely hard fought series, Superman.

(See Sprezz Cred for picture sources)

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