Ingamegeschehen » Devils net to earn more playing time.

HOUSTON -- Dwight Howard was late for the pregame shootaround. So he knew that playing on his 28th birthday, and against his former team, the onus was on him to both atone and deliver. Done and done. Howard had 20 points and 22 rebounds Sunday night to lead the Houston Rockets over the Orlando Magic 98-88. "I just wanted to get the win tonight," Howard said. "Im just happy our team came out tonight, settled down and played basketball." Howard became the first Rockets player since Ralph Sampson in 1985-86 to pull down 18 or more rebounds in three straight games. Despite the positive outcome, dont expect to see Howard showing up late to any more shootarounds anytime soon. "Bad example," he said. "I shouldnt have done it." James Harden scored 27 points and also had 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Rockets. Terrence Jones contributed 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jones scored 10 a busy third quarter when Houston pulled away for good, extending its lead to as many as 22 points. He also blocked five shots, stopping Victor Oladipo as time expired in the third quarter to preserve an 83-61 lead. Chandler Parsons, who missed two games because of a sore back, started for Houston and had 18 points. "Our starting four and five had 35 rebounds between them," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. "James went and got eight rebounds, too. So that was big." Glenn Davis scored 18 in Orlandos fifth straight loss. Arron Afflalo finished with 16 points and Jameer Nelson added 15. "We just didnt play well," Davis said. "We cant make shots. Its not about the shots. Its about the defence. Everybody needs to be held accountable in making sure they do what they need to do, or its going to be a long season." Howard got off to a slow start offensively, but he amassed nine quick rebounds in the first quarter, thanks in part to the Magics 7-for-22 shooting. This was Howards first game against Orlando in a Rockets uniform, having faced his first former team last season while with the Los Angeles Lakers. Orlando made Howard the top pick of the 2004 NBA draft. He played for the Magic from 2005-2012, once led the team to the finals and remains Orlandos all-time leading scorer. The Magic shot just 27.7 per cent (13-for-47) from the field in the first half. But they benefited from at-times lacklustre rebounding the Rockets, which led to second-chance points that allowed them to loiter around. Orlando appeared poised to give the Rockets a tough test, scoring nine straight points to take a 9-2 lead. But the burst was brief. "We just came out sluggish and werent contesting shots, and we werent rebounding," Howard said. "We had to pick our energy level up, and thats what we did." The Rockets hurt the Magic from the 3-point line, making seven of 11 to erase that run by Orlando in the first quarter. Houston finished 10-for-33 from 3-point range against 8-for-29 for Orlando. The Magic cut Houstons lead to 28-25 with a burst of hustle to open the second quarter, capped by a 3 from ETwaun Moore. Thats as close as Orlando got the rest of the way. NOTES: The Magic missed C Nikola Vucevic (left ankle) for a third straight game. ... Rockets G Jeremy Lin (right knee) missed his sixth game but participated in pregame workouts. ... Houston tallied 10 blocks, its fourth double-digit game of the season. DAngelo Russell Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks have signed nine players to 2014 future contracts, including quarterback B. Julius Erving Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers (4) – He had a strong game Sunday; was very good in tight with big saves on Crosby, Malkin and Neal in-crease. http://www.cheapnetsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-shabazz-napier-jersey .Y. -- Cory Schneider has to make the most of his opportunities to guard the New Jersey Devils net to earn more playing time. Cheap Swingman Nets Jerseys . Nix is a career .218 hitter in 425 games over six seasons. The 31-year-old right-handed hitter batted .270 with a homer this spring for Tampa Bay. Jared Dudley Jersey . In the opener of the World Group first-round series, world No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont.The Winnipeg Jets have signed their 2014 first-round pick Nikolaj Ehlers to a three-year, entry-level contract. Ehlers posted 49 goals and 55 assists in 63 games with the Halifax Mooseheads in 2013-14. He added 28 points in 16 playoff games as the Mooseheads were eliminated in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Leagues semifinals.dddddddddddd Winnipeg selected the Danish winger ninth overall at the draft in June. ' ' '