836: Is a 10-point gap not big enough?

The problems the Grizzlies encountered after losing Randolph and Iguodala were naturally plain for everyone else to see.

In the NBA, a team's condition was never a secret. Any problem exposed during a game would be laid bare in the game footage.

And those problems could very well become the opening an opponent used to defeat them.

That was precisely why Dwight Howard was so cocky. He believed that, with the Grizzlies lacking depth in the paint, he could wreak havoc in the restricted area.

He did not just want to win—he wanted to win with dazzling stats!

What was more, the Grizzlies were playing the second night of a road back-to-back, which greatly boosted Howard's confidence.

Howard had entered the league straight out of high school, and he was now nearly thirty. He knew full well that, as he aged and injuries took their toll, his physical condition was only getting worse. He might never regain the form he had with the Magic, and his prime might be coming to an end.

He craved honors and a championship, so he wanted to seize victory by the tail end of his prime. In Howard's eyes, this year was the best opportunity.

That was why Howard had been incredibly volatile this season. His hunger for victory had driven his hostility toward opponents to an unprecedented level.

The season had not even been underway for a month, yet Howard had already clashed with opponents on the court several times. Among them were star players like Garnett and Kobe.

Howard had completely changed. He was no longer the sunny young man from his Orlando days. He had become more violent, darker, more bloodthirsty.

The man who had once never gotten angry now started trash-talking opponents. The man who had always been smiling now