Dwight Howard powers Orlando Magic to 102-87 win over Houston Rockets

Howard powers Magic past Rockets 102-87

ORLANDO, Fla. — Dwight Howard had 20 rebounds and 13 points, and the Orlando Magic rolled to an easy 102-87 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Howard outmuscled a Rockets team lacking size and strength in the middle with Yao Ming injured. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year blocked four shots and showed how dominant he can be even on a night he didn’t have his best offensive game.

Jameer Nelson added 15 points in his first start since Nov. 16, helping the Magic win for the fifth time in six games ahead of a big Christmas Day matchup against the Boston Celtics.

Carl Landry had 20 points and Aaron Brooks finished with 17 for the Rockets, who could do little with Howard roaming the paint.

Yao is out for the season while recovering from surgery to repair a hairline fracture in his left foot, and Howard didn’t exactly miss the 7-foot-6 center on Wednesday.

Although it wasn’t his biggest scoring night, Howard cleaned up the glass and swatted away mistakes on the defensive end. His presence in the paint led to a 15-0 run that put Orlando ahead 76-60 late in the third quarter.

The Rockets cut the deficit to eight late in the fourth, but Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter each hit a 3-pointer to help the Magic hold on. Carter had 18 points.

Howard, who has struggled for most of his career against Yao, threw down a series of dunks in the opening quarter to get the Magic off to a fast start. Orlando ended the first quarter on a 14-2 spurt highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers by Ryan Anderson, taking a 34-22 lead.

Houston rallied in the second to close to 55-52 at halftime. The Rockets made five of 12 3-pointers in the opening half.

It was only the second time this season the Magic began the game with all their starters in the lineup, and they showed signs they can defend last season’s Eastern Conference championship. They’ll get another major test Friday when they host Boston.

NOTES: Tracy McGrady, who is in the final year of his contract with the Rockets, said before the game he would be open to a return to Orlando but Houston is his first option. McGrady even joked about crashing at Carter’s Isleworth mansion. The two are cousins. “I told him, hypothetically speaking, if I was to come back, I was going to rent out his guest house,” said McGrady, who played for Orlando from 2000-04. … Houston’s Chase Budinger sat out with a sprained right ankle.