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Dwight Howard (left) of the Houston Rockets shoots over Robert Sacre (centre) and Kendall Marshall of the Los Angeles Lakers during their NBA game in Los Angeles on Wednesday. (AFP)
Dwight Howard was booed Wednesday in his first return to Los Angeles since bolting the Los Angeles Lakers last summer but the Houston Rockets All-Star centre got the last laugh.
James Harden had 29 points with 11 assists, Howard added 20 points and 13 rebounds, as the red-hot Rockets routed the injury-depleted Lakers 134-108 to run their winning streak to a season-high eight games.
In his only season with the Lakers, Howard averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds despite being slowed by shoulder and back injuries.
The league’s most dominant centre never felt comfortable playing second banana to Kobe Bryant and riffs between the two were rumoured.
After the season, Howard decided to take 30 million dollars less and sign with the Rockets.
The decision has worked out well. Howard is averaging 18.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game and was selected to his eighth All-Star team as the Rockets sit in third-place in the West with their best start in 20 years.
Wesley Johnson scored 24 points while Kendall Marshall had 20 with 16 assists for the Lakers (18-36) who remain tied with Sacramento in the West basement after their franchise-record eighth straight home loss without injured stars Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash.
Prior to the contest, the Lakers made a move in front of yesterday’s NBA Trade Deadline by sending guard Steve Blake to the Golden State Warriors for reserve guards Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks.
Elsewhere:
*Carmelo Anthony erupted for 42 points and the visiting New York Knicks ended a three-game slide 98-91 over the New Orleans Pelicans, who were paced by Eric Gordon’s 28 points.
*Kevin Love collected 42 points with 16 rebounds, Spaniard Ricky Rubio handed out a career-high 17 assists, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 104-91 victory over the East-best Indiana Pacers, who got 35 points from Paul George.
*Australian Patty Mills scored 29 points, Italy’s Marco Belinelli added 20 as the visiting San Antonio Spurs trimmed the Portland Trail Blazers 111-109.
*Damian Lillard scored 31 and Mo Williams netted 19 for Portland, which played without All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, sidelined with a groin strain.
*Carlos Boozer scored 20 points and Jimmy Butler sank the game-sealing free throws after blocking DeMar DeRozan’s potential go-ahead jumper with 2.4 seconds left, and the visiting Chicago Bulls escaped the Toronto Raptors for their fourth straight win 94-92.
*DeRozan had a game-high 32 points for Toronto, which had its three- game winning streak snapped.
*In other games: the visiting Golden State Warriors topped the Sacramento Kings 101-92; the Charlotte Bobcats dropped the visiting Detroit Pistons 116-98; the Cleveland Cavaliers stopped the visiting Orlando Magic 101-93.
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