Magic C Dwight Howard felt good enough to play Monday night, but the club decided to rest his aching left knee as a precaution. It was the second consecutive game that Howard sat out.
"Dwight wanted to play," Magic General Manager Otis Smith said. "But we felt it was best that he rest it." Howard's 351-consecutive game streak was snapped on Saturday night when the 23-year-old two-time all-star missed the game against the Utah Jazz.
Second-year C Marcin Gortat made his second start in place of Howard on Monday night, the final game of the Magic's five-game road trip.
Smith suggested the team might have Howard take an MRI when it returned to Orlando, but said "We don't have anything planned now."
The Magic's next game is Thursday night at Amway Arena against the San Antonio Spurs, and Howard is officially listed day-to-day.
Redick reboots
Magic SG J.J. Redick was taken out of the starting lineup when the Magic opened their road trip in L.A. against the Clippers. He had been playing in place of injured Mickael Pietrus, but struggled with his shot.
When Keith Bogans became available after recovering from a fractured thumb, Coach Stan Van Gundy benched Redick for Bogans. Redick also lost playing time to rookie Courtney Lee, who has been the second guard off the bench behind Bogans.
"I just have to keep plugging away," said Redick, who played in the final two games of the West trip.
Coaching carousel
Smith says the "most startling thing" about the rapid firing of six NBA coaches so far is that some are being replaced by front-office types. Tony DiLeo, an assistant GM in Philadelphia, replaced Mo Cheeks as Sixers coach; Minnesota GM Kevin McHale replaced coach Randy Wittman and Ed Tapscott, former director of player development in Washington, replaced Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. Forget about Smith, a former NBA player, ever replacing Van Gundy if Van Gundy were fired. "Oh, no. I don't ever want to coach," Smith said. "I don't ever want that job."
