Dwight Howard says, “Just gimme the damn ball!”

I’ve always liked Dwight Howard, so I couldn’t believe what I heard him say following last night’s Game 5 collapse in Boston.

Here it is:

Although Orlando certainly needs to get him the ball, Howard needs to man-up and play with more effort offensively. He rarely fights for position inside and hits the offensive boards only when it suits him.

I’m also sick of him avoiding contact by settling for stupid left-handed hooks.

Given his superior talent, there is no reason he shouldn’t have a 20-20 performance every game against the Celtics.

Ultimately, Howard was wrong to call out his coach and teammates after the game. Do it during the game – speak up, make an aggressive play, anything to show you’re involved in the game and deserve the ball.

At only 23 years of age, Superman still has some growing up to do.

Stay tuned.