The whole Bobcats team thought that in the third quarter, the Magic might surge, and Howard would find courage in shame. They had to withstand the opening wave.
That was indeed the case at first. When Howard was alone in the locker room bathroom, he regretted it. He single-handedly ruined a great situation, turning a double-digit lead into a 1-point deficit in just half a quarter. He had to take the blame.
But when Howard came out of the bathroom and returned to the locker room, Van Gundy started to lecture him...
Self-blame, guilt, regret... all tossed aside!
His brain capacity is only so big. Van Gundy's preaching made him recall how he couldn't even get the ball in the first half, having taken only 4 shots!
So in the third quarter, Howard's defensive enthusiasm further dwindled, and on offense, he even went to the low post to sit on Perkins and demand the ball one-on-one...
