Howard speaks up and, in process, boosts his MVP cred

• While LeBron James' comments about contraction seemed straightforward enough -- drawing instantaneous overwrought reactions in the Twittersphere -- The Race wondered if James wasn't subconsciously lobbying to improve his MVP chances. The biggest knock on his candidacy in Miami is that he has way more help, with All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on his flanks, than he had in Cleveland. With the Cavaliers, he was headband-and-shoulders better than anyone else on the roster, and his powerlifting performances the past two seasons earned him Maurice Podoloff trophies.

But if there were fewer teams in the NBA and the best players shed from the eradicated were plugged into various rosters, then many MVP candidates would have more help. It would be harder for one pearl to stand out among swinish teammates, such as ... nah, we won't be so mean in Christmas week. The NBA would be back to a time when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson could win MVPs even while playing alongside future Hall of Famers. Thus, James wouldn't necessarily lose support by having all-NBAers next to him.

• Boston point guard Rajon Rondo, the one Celtics player to appear in The Race this season, isn't having his candidacy enhanced while sidelined. All the Celtics do is win, including a 4-0 mark this month without their preferred playmaker. The committee understands that Boston -- and San Antonio, for that matter -- isn't winning with a bunch of nobodies. But the depth of talent on those teams and group approach to winning tends to work against any one guy as a top MVP possibility. Taking away one of five is like yanking the spare tire out of a Ferrari's trunk -- doesn't slow it down one bit.

• To those who feel that Kevin Love's ridiculous double-double numbers merit serious consideration here beyond Honoroable Mention status, the committee suggests a peek at Minnesota's W-L record.

• How come no one has checked in with Phil Jackson for his opinion about the NBA going dark on Christmas Eve? At least it gives hoops-minded shoppers a chance to work the clock down to fractions of a second. Remember, unless there's at least 0.3 seconds remaining, only a gift card or cash can be stuck in an envelope on an inbounds play.

And now it's time for The Race's main business this week, which is a renewed consideration of Dwight Howard -- or at least an appreciation of what the Orlando Magic center has done for his team lately. More double-doubles? A continuing defensive presence in the paint? Sure, that's all nice. But what Howard did first and foremost for the Magic was salvage their season. By having the sort of impact off the floor that MVP candidates usually have on it.

It was Howard's critical comments about his level of defensive help from the likes of Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis -- comments which basically questioned their heart and championship-worthiness -- that triggered the trades with Phoenix and Washington last week. Getting Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas might not have made Orlando better than the mix of talent it previously had, but it did give the Magic and its fans a fresh chance to hope. The status quo was quo-ing nowhere fast.

Then again, maybe it made Orlando better,  if the 123-101 smackdown of San Antonio is a sample of things to come. Just when it was looking as if coach Stan Van Gundy might wait until Christmas or sometime thereafter to unwrap the gifts that Howard and GM Otis Smith got him, they showed up a day and a half early. Turkoglu, Richardson and Arenas had shot a combined 13-of-53 in their first two Orlando games, but went 18-of-38 against the Spurs, with four 3-pointers, 40 points and 16 assists.

So if Howard's grumbles and some budding concerns about his long-term whereabouts motivated a dramatic change by his bosses, should that count toward MVP consideration?

The short answer is no. The MVP might not be a "Player of the Year" award but it generally is based on the top candidates' on-court performances.

The long answer, though, isn't so simple. MVP winners traditionally are lauded as team leaders, which means all sort of things in and away from the gym. Many are sparkplugs in practice or ironmen in the trainer's room. Imposing order in a locker room is a very MVP-ish thing. Ditto planes and team buses. So why not the front office?

Howard has gotten acclaim this season as a more complete basketball player, even as his team began heading south in the Eastern Conference standings and in the seriousness of its Finals ambitions. His MVP application was getting shuffled toward the bottom. But with the sort of sharp-tongued influence that franchise guys are famous for in the NBA, the Orlando strongman might have perked up, well, all of the above for his team.