Dwight Howard is headed to the NBA All-Star Weekend as the defending slam-dunk champion and likely starting center for the Eastern Conference.
And as a coach. Coach Howard?
Howard told the Sentinel on Sunday that he and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers have been asked to "coach" in the rookie-sophomore exhibition game in some fashion. The top rookies and second-year players are chosen to play in the exhibition that will be held Friday night of All-Star Weekend.
"That should be cool, a lot of fun," Howard said.
Howard said he's planning "a big surprise" for everybody when he makes his coaching debut. He also said he's pulling hard for Magic G Courtney Lee -- now a starter -- to be named to the rookie team.
Lee has the job for now
Speaking of Lee, Coach Stan Van Gundy said Sunday before the Magic faced the Spurs that Lee is the club's starter until further notice. Lee made his fourth consecutive start against the Spurs.
"We're planning on right now that Courtney's our starter," Van Gundy said. "I never say never to making changes anywhere, but right now it's not going to be an in-or-out thing. That's the way we're going to go right now.
"J.J. [Redick] is playing well. He'll be the first guard off the bench. And we'll go from there."
Mickael Pietrus was projected to be the starter but is recovering from a fractured wrist -- his second major injury this season. Asked if Lee would keep the job when Pietrus returns, Van Gundy said, "When he gets back, I can talk about that. Right now I don't have him, so I'm not thinking in that regard. What's hard to say about that is where we're going to be at that point, how we're going to be playing."
Pietrus said he hopes to be back by the end of the month.
Visiting on the road
Pietrus spent some time with Spurs PG Tony Parker before the game. They have played together on France's national team, but Pietrus hasn't participated since the 2006 FIBA World Championships. He doesn't expect to get a spot this summer. "It's good for me to stay in Orlando," he said. . . . Howard did what a lot of people do when they come through Texas. He bought a cowboy hat. . . . The Magic face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, the second game of their four-game road trip.
