howard's one-man magic act has limits

 There are a variety of goals during the postseason.
The obvious is an NBA championship, especially for the all-or-nothing teams in the bracket, such as the Heat, Lakers, Celtics and Spurs.

Then there are the make-a-statement teams, such as the Knicks, Thunder, and perhaps even Bulls. Those aspirations can be addressed even before the NBA Finals.
Because unless you consider someone else, anything else, as essential to the Magic's future than Dwight Howard, what we have here are the most important days for the team since Pat Williams put a pair of Mickey Mouse ears on an NBA franchise.
Yes, we're all familiar by now: Howard can opt out of his contract following next season, if there is a next season. For those who see only gloom in Stern v. Hunter, and therefore no 2011-12 season, we well may be witnessing the end of the Howard-Magic marriage in coming days or weeks.
For his part, Howard has said all the right things. He's not looking to leave. He doesn't even have a decision to make right now. He's still under contract. You know, sort of what Chris Bosh told the Raptors and LeBron James told the Cavaliers a year ago.

But the first two games of the opening round against the Hawks, alone, offer plenty of distress signals.

In Game 1, Howard scored 46 of the Magic's 93 points, and they still lost by 10.

In Game 2, Howard played all 48 minutes, and the Magic still found themselves in a two-point game with less than two minutes to go before holding on for a series-tying win.

In Game 1, there was little in the way of support beyond a single, third-quarter eruption by Jameer Nelson.

In Game 2, there was no one else to trust in the middle, Marcin Gortat suddenly becoming the Magic's version of Kendrick Perkins, the void that keeps on not giving.
A year ago at this time, turning your back on your franchise was seen as a Shaq-like display of selfishness, no city more aware than Orlando. There was, after all, the more-recent hope provided when Tim Duncan slammed shut two previous escape hatches in San Antonio.
But over these past five months, LeBron and Bosh sure look like they're having an awfully good time on South Beach. The criticism of their departures has diminished, the interest in their next stage increased.

A year ago, it was Dwyane Wade who said at the close of the first round, "This will be my last first-round exit for a while, I can tell you that."

The comfort for the Heat was the salary-cap space the team had available, and the fact that Pat Riley was the one who would spend it.

The Magic have no such salary slots. Instead, there is the shell game being played by general manager Otis Smith, the one that turned the really bad contract of Rashard Lewis into the really, really bad contract of Gilbert Arenas.

There is no growth potential in Orlando. Yes, the new arena is state of the art, arguably the best in the league. But it still is located in Orlando, where the palm trees do not reach the beach, let alone South Beach.

A year ago, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert steadfastly refused to consider trade options for LeBron. It was the right move. He appreciated what his franchise would look like without James. He realizes that every day these days.

Similarly, in Toronto, GM Bryan Colangelo bought into the possibilities presented by Bosh of a potential return. He paid the price this season.
But in Orlando, there was a wonderful reclamation job by former GM John Gabriel in the wake of Shaq's departure. A competitive team was cobbled together. In a one-team city, the passion remained. It had nowhere else to go.
That is the difference between Orlando and Cleveland, where there are other pro options or Toronto, where venting about the Maple Leafs provides ample distraction.

So behind Door A is Andrew Bynum, a deal that would land Howard alongside Kobe Bryant and arguably still leave Orlando with the best center in the Eastern Conference.

Behind Door B is Brook Lopez, a consolation prize that would place Howard alongside Deron Williams with a borough he soon could call his own with the Nets.

Because as long as Howard has to score half his team's points and play all 48 minutes, and as long as deep ensembles in Boston, Miami and Los Angeles show how much fun the game can be when played as a team sport, who could begrudge a relocation?

Of course a deep playoff run could ease the angst for the Magic and for those flocking to StayDwight.com, a site created to offer "a place for our community to come together to show their support and love of our hometown hero, Five Time All-Star Dwight Howard ... and why he belongs in Orlando."
There is, however, no place on the site to donate a consistent, go-to wing or a point guard who can see over the shoulders of those defending him.
The billboard near Amway Center reads, "Dwight Howard, This Is Your City."

And at least in the coming days, the Magic are his burden.

But, soon enough, he will get to play the role of LeBron and Bosh and make a decision for himself. Or he can go Carmelo Anthony and force a decision before his 2012 opt out arrives.

For now, it's about saying the right things, such as, "I have to do a lot for my team. They do a lot for me."