Howard provided a hint of what could come in the final 30 games of the regular season as the Magic bid to build the best record in the Eastern Conference, even without their All-Star point guard.

"I have to set an example every night, at both ends of the floor," said Howard. "That's leadership. You just have to keep fight. And I have to be the one to get it started."

Howard had a career-high 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocked shots against Charlotte. Since the NBA started keeping blocks during the 1973-74 season, it was the first time anyone had compiled these kind of statistics. The closest before was Shaquille O'Neal in 2001, when he had 40 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks for the Lakers.

"That's leadership right there," said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. "It's not giving speeches in the locker room before the game. It's that kind of play on the court. You can't have these kind of numbers every night, but it's a will to win that Dwight is developing."

The Magic (39-13) are bidding to win 60 games for the first time since the 1995-96 season.

MAGIC 107, BOBCATS 102 (OT): Dwight Howard left his Superman cape at the All-Star weekend in Phoenix, but he still played the role when he returned to the regular season, dominating the Bobcats without much trouble.

With most of his teammates struggling, Howard did it by himself. The Bobcats opted not to double team him like most teams do, and they paid for it. Emeka Okafor and DeSagana Diop combined for 11 personal fouls. The strategy worked for much of the game, but Howard just wore them down. He finished with 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocked shots.