Jameer Nelson Blames Dwight Howard Saga for Struggles

Both Jameer Nelson and Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith placed some of the blame for Nelson’s struggles this season on Dwight Howard’s massive shoulders, which doesn’t seem like the most brilliant of tactics. Per the Orlando Sentinel: “Jameer Nelson admitted that Dwight Howard’s mention of playing with other point guards affected him. A slumping Nelson said Howard’s talking about playing with Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets and Chris Paul of the L.A. Lakers, made him press some this season. ‘Maybe a little bit of that,’ he said after playing one of his better games of the season Friday night, scoring 17 points and adding nine assists in the Magic’s 92-80 win against the Lakers. Magic GM Otis Smith said earlier in the day that he thought part of Nelson’s poor play was because Howard ‘indirectly threw him under the bus.’ … ‘I’m here to play basketball and I can’t worry about what anybody says. I’m here because I’m a winner and they want me here. I know if they didn’t want me, I wouldn’t be here,’ Nelson said. ‘I’m human and a lot of things affect you. We’re basketball players, but we’re also human. A lot of the stuff that came out about other point guards being here was basically months ago, so if I was hurt, I’m over it.’ Nelson looked more like himself against the Lakers, hitting 6-of-12 shots. He entered the game shooting just 39 percent.”