Late in the Hornets’ 133-109 blowout victory over the Wizards on Wednesday, Charlotte’s Michael Carter-Williams and Washington’s Tim Frazier got into a minor scrap following a loose ball. Both players were issued technical fouls and ejected from the game, leaving each team to select which opponent would get to shoot the technical free throws.
The Wizards, who got to choose first, had a decision to make: They could select Dwight Howard, one of the worst free-throw shooters of all-time, calling him back to the floor from the bench with four minutes left in a 22-point game. Or, given the score, they could pick someone else, to spare Howard the embarrassment.
Well, the Wizards pointed at Howard, sending the 52.8 percent free-throw shooter to the line.
Dwight must have been offended by being singled out, because after draining both shots, he blew a kiss to the Wizards’ bench.
The #Wizards picked Dwight Howard to shoot the technical free throws after Michael Carter-Williams was ejected.
Dwight nailed both of 'em.
See ya next time #DCFamily…#BuzzCity pic.twitter.com/SFNdKUENqC
— Bally Sports: Hornets (@HornetsOnBally) January 18, 2018
Moments later, having returned to the bench, Howard took it one step further, pulling out the ol’ big-balls dance that Sam Cassell once made famous.
Dwight Howard gives a nod to Sam Cassell after hitting two free throws late in this blowout. pic.twitter.com/n6wRHDHpHd
— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) January 18, 2018
Here’s a good look at the whole sequence:
After a scuffle in Charlotte, the Wizards picked Dwight to shoot the free throws.
He sunk them both and blew a kiss to the Wizards' bench. 😂 pic.twitter.com/cSkGkaa40X
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 18, 2018
On one hand, good for Howard for proving his haters wrong. He showed them.
On the other hand, if you feel the need to gloat over making two straight free throws, that’s pretty strong evidence that you’re an awful free throw shooter.
For the record, the Hornets chose Tomas Satoransky, a 61.9 percent free-throw shooter to take the technical shots. He also hit both, though as far as we know he did not blow any kisses.