Dwight Howard missed three games due to a right shoulder injury, but the Laker center made his return to the court Sunday night when the team hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mike Trudell tweeted that Howard played the game without any pain in his right shoulder, something that will surely please the Lakers’ coaching and training staff.
Dwight Howard said the right shoulder that kept him out 3 games felt fine tonight; didn’t give him any problems.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 14, 2013
The Lakers missed Howard’s presence on both ends of the court, and especially his efforts on defense. Los Angeles has enough scorers on the court, but there is no way to replace a player like Howard on the defensive end. The Lakers allowed just 93 points in Sunday’s game against the Cavs, showing the defensive potential this team has.
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As for Dwight Howard, he scored 22 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in his first game back. Clearly the shoulder did not hinder Howard’s effectiveness on the court and the Lakers are hoping they can get similar performances from him moving forward.