Dwight Howard=Impressive...Yi=Not

Went to the Nets home opener tonight as they hosted the defending champs out of the East. A very good turn out from Jersey fans was a welcome sight to my eyes, but the gate was no doubt helped by two things: Superman coming to East Rutherford and VC returning to the Meadowlands for the first time since the trade. (Side Note: Very happy that Net fans gave Carter a very nice welcome. The Net fan base is not the most tuned in or educated when compared to other NBA cities to put it midly, but the appreciation they showed should make Net Nation proud. For as bad as VC was in Toronto (quitting on them), he played his heart out for the Nets in a mostly half empty Meadolands even when it was apparent they weren't close to being a contender. Some predicted he would lead a mutiny last season, but instead he just went to work and played his guts out for an over achieving Net team.)

I had decent seats in the lower level, and I would pay double next time to go see the Magic when they come here for one reason: Dwight Howard is a MAN. He seemed as though he got every rebound he desired. Seemingly every bucket of his was an emphatic jam. Big dudes bounced of him like they were back up point gaurds. Leaving the game, I looked up to see how many points he ended with, and my I was in shock when it only said 20. The Magic could have given him the ball every time down the floor and I think they'd have made it out of town with a W (if you allowed someone else to shoot FT's for Dwight, of course.) I know I'm not breaking any news by saying what a beast this man is, but TV does not do it justice. I know the Nets are already mathematically eliminated with 80 games left and don't have the best frontline, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he was a man amongst pre-teens. Brooke Lopez picked up 5 fouls quicker than Superman changes in a phone booth. Lopez was coming off a career game in the opener and Howard just ate his lunch tonight.

And for those who care, or don't already know, Yi is perhaps the worst starter

in the league. Coming off an opener that inked him 17 and 12, and where he went strong to the rim, dunking emphatically a couple times, took jumpers in the flow of the offense and looked like he was maybe making a turn for the better, he looked like the Yi that we all know and love. He was invisible on D. INVISIBLE. That is an understatement and I can't stress it enough. Brandon Bass and Ryan Andersen combined for 29 points off of him. It was embarassing watching Andersen take open three after open three and drive past "the chairman" as if he was sitting in one. Bass just beasted him. And for every "strong" finish that Yi shows, he settles for
about 4 fade away no-chance-in-heck prayer jumpers, usually in the beginning of a possesion. He's the most frustrating Net to watch, by far.

I'm not trying to be a beat writer here, but coming home and seeing Howard and Yi on opposite ends of the domination spectrum, I just had to write about it. Yi looks like he never practiced D in his life, and Howard was more impressive than LeBron in person (ans I've seen LeBron twice live against my Nets, in better seats, and in one of those games he dropped 38). Dwight was just a blocking, rebounding, and dunking machine. Yi is just ... hard to watch. So NBA fans, when Dwight is coming to your nearest arena, clear the date; you will get your money's worth.

Photos: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)