"No one needed a reminder, but Dwight Howard on Thursday night demonstrated why the Orlando Magic are desperate to keep him and why the New Jersey Nets are equally anxious to acquire him.

He gathered rebound after rebound. He swatted away shots, sending one of them whizzing into the third row. He scored at will when he wasn't at the foul line.

And with their 94-78 win over New Jersey, the Magic showed they are a far better team right now with Howard than the Nets are with point guard Deron Williams and without injured center Brook Lopez.

"We're getting better," said Howard, who finished with 16 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks."