Winless Nets are no match for Magic's Howard

By foxsports
Published

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard showed the winless New Jersey Nets that he'd like to repeat as the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.

Howard blocked five shots, scored 26 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Magic defeated New Jersey Nets 88-72 on Friday night.

The Nets, the NBA's only winless team at 0-9, played without three starters and shot 33 percent (28 of 85) for the game.

It was the first real defensive statement of the season for the Magic and Howard, who had only 13 blocks in the first nine games this season. He swatted away five Nets' shots and altered several more.