"The Rockets are not sure when they will hear the running dialogue from Orlando's Rafer Alston to announce his return to Toyota Center.

Aaron Brooks imagines Alston will be heard from the opening tip to final buzzer but did not rule out pregame warmups. Shane Battier figures Alston will make his presence heard when the door to the Magic bus opens. Alston made no predictions.

"When is Ra not talking?" Brooks said. "He's always talking at me. "I'm sure there will be a lot of talking back and forth, especially if I score some points."

Alston tonight will face the Rockets for the first time since the trade-deadline deal that sent him to the Magic on Feb. 19, elevating Brooks to starting point guard and bringing Kyle Lowry from Memphis.

Though Tracy McGrady's season ended one game prior to the trade, the Rockets have gone 16-7 since. The Magic have gone 18-5 since Alston, 6-2, became the starting point guard, filling the void left by Jameer Nelson's season-ending shoulder injury.

Alston, 32, has played much as he had for the Rockets. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.4 assists with the Rockets, 12 points and 5.3 assists with the Magic. He has shot slightly worse (38.1 percent) overall, and slightly better (33.1 percent) from beyond the arc since the trade.

Steps in at the point

But the Magic have plenty of shooting around Dwight Howard. They wanted Alston to step in and run the offense and defend, enough for them to contend in the Eastern Conference.

"With point guards, it's not their numbers," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It's how the team plays and our team has played very well.

"It's hard for anybody to join a team as late as he did. But to come and be the guy sort of in charge of things on the floor is a lot more difficult than anything else, and to come into a team that is good and has high expectations and to replace an All-Star, there was nothing easy about the transition for him. He's handled it extremely well. He's kept our team playing at an extremely high level. He's done a fabulous job."

He also has been appreciated.

"It was unexpected," Alston said. "The fans in Orlando, the organization, even around town when I go get a bite to eat, they're excited and telling me I've saved their season. I'm like, 'Me?' It feels great. I think we all want to be appreciated for what we do."

The Rockets considered the move a "gamble" at the time, but coach Rick Adelman said it has worked out the way he hoped. "