By Seth Dahle
2017 stats: 4.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 0.5 spg, 48.4% FG,
2018 stats: 13.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 bpg, 1.2 spg, 55.4% FG
As the old saying goes, a simple change of scenery can bring about wondrous and positive results. For Natasha Howard, that couldn’t be more evident in the 6-2 forward’s performance this season.
Simply put, Howard is on another level in 2018. While she did have a supporting role off the bench for the Minnesota Lynx, where she won a WNBA championship in 2017, her numbers are still strikingly better in the Emerald City.
While other players are certainly in the mix, Howard should indefinitely walk away with Most Improved Player of the Year honors, and here’s why.
OFFENSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
It’s hard to believe, but Howard has never really gotten the chance to show her full potential in the WNBA. Sure, she played on a Minnesota team with a plethora of experienced superstars, but her minutes were limited.
Once Howard came to the Emerald City and earned her time on the hardwood, the Seattle Storm immediately reaped the benefits of her offensive explosiveness.
In 2017, Howard averaged 4.3 points in 11.7 minutes per game for the Lynx. That tally has skyrocketed in Seattle, where she ranks third on the team with 13.5 points per outing – over a 200 percent increase. Granted, Howard now gets 26.2 minutes per affair; however, she is still scoring at an exponentially higher rate than her time in The Gopher State.
Howard has scored in double figures in 25 games this season, including a career-best 25 points vs. Connecticut on June 15. She’s done her damage with unprecedented consistency (55.4 percent shooting), and Florida State product has buried 17 three’s in 2018, which more than quadruples her previous career tally entering the season (four total).
DEFENSIVE FORCE
Let’s switch to the other end of the court. Howard’s defensive prowess is second-to-none.
Looking back on her career, Howard has more than doubled her previous career-high for blocks (27 in 2016) in a single season, posting 67 so far in 2018. She currently ranks second in the WNBA with 2.0 per game, and as many fans have seen this season, her defensive capabilities have changed the way teams attack Seattle.
While she hasn’t topped her career-high (yet) for blocks (six vs. Chicago in 2014), Howard has recorded five rejections on four separate occasions.
With two regular season games remaining, Howard has already doubled her steals number from a year ago, logging 41 in 2018 compared to 18 last season.
CLEANIN’ UP THE GLASS
It’s no secret that the Storm has struggled with rebounding in years past. But with Howard in the lineup, Seattle is outrebounding its opponents on average for the first time since 2011.
It certainly takes a team effort on the boards; however, Howard’s individual contributions have been immense. She averages 6.5 on the season, ranking second on the team, while her 2.3 offensive boards per contest rank first on the Storm and fourth in the WNBA.
Howard’s rebounding numbers have increased by over 150 percent since 2017, and she has five double-digit rebounding games this season, including a career-high 15 vs. Atlanta on June 10.
CLUTCH ON CALL
The May 25 box score of the Storm’s 95-91 overtime win over the Chicago Sky shows a strong performance by Howard – 16 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Solid, but not overwhelming.
Now let’s get to the ‘how.’ Not necessarily how Howard notched a double-double, but how the Storm even found itself in overtime.
After trailing by as many as 14 with less than six minutes remaining, Seattle issued a serious comeback and managed to cut the deficit one with 20.6 seconds remaining. Sky guard Allie Quigley split a pair at the line, giving the Storm one last chance to either tie or take the lead.
On the Storm’s next possession, Breanna Stewart missed a contested shot inside, only to result in Howard pulling down her biggest rebound of the game. Her put-back knotted the contest at 87 apiece, however, Chicago’s quick outlet allowed Diamond DeShields to have a chance to win it on the breakaway.
In seemingly impossible reaction time, Howard sprinted all the way down the court to reject DeShields’ attempt in the final seconds, sending the game to overtime and ultimately resulting in the Storm’s second win of the season.
The gist? Howard is clutch in the humblest, yet most impactful way, and it shows on both ends of the court.
WHAT YOU DON’T SEE ON THE STAT SHEET
In conclusion, Howard has embraced her opportunity in Seattle, and it has been a key reason why the Storm is in first place and a favorite to win the WNBA championship. She stretches the defense, allows other superstars like Stewart, Sue Bird and Jewell Loyd to have more room to operate, and simply gets the job done on a consistent basis.
Howard is the most improved player in the league, no doubt, and her presence will be a big factor in the Storm’s postseason push for its third WNBA title in franchise history.
