Back injury ends Howard's NBA season

20 Apr 2012, 5:30 pm   -   Source: AAP

Orlando Magic Dwight Howard's NBA season is over with the star to have back surgery in Los Angeles.

Dwight Howard will undergo back surgery, ending his NBA season with the Orlando Magic and likely eliminating him from playing for the US at the London Olympics.

Magic general manager Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel that the 26-year-old centre will have surgery to fix a herniated disk on Friday in Los Angeles.

"After consulting with the two doctors, it's in his best interests to have surgery sooner rather than later," Smith said. "Basically, the situation is not getting better. I'm not saying it got worse. It's just not getting better."

Howard has been struggling with a back problem for the past month and received an epidural to lessen the pain.

The club said at the time he would miss about two weeks but then learned the injury was more serious than first thought.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat defeated the Chicago Bulls 83-72 in a bad-tempered clash on Thursday to tighten the race for the top seed in the NBA Eastern Conference.

LeBron James had 27 points and 11 rebounds while Dwyane Wade scored 18 points for Miami in a scuffle-filled game.

The Heat held the Bulls to a season-low points total and moved within 1-1/2 games of Chicago, which leads the East.

John Lucas scored 16 points for Chicago, which was again without reigning MVP Derrick Rose because of injuries.

The teams combined for four technicals, two flagrant fouls and Miami reserve James Jones was ejected.

Chicago have games against Dallas, Indiana and Cleveland left, while Miami will play Washington twice, as well as Houston and Boston.

Steve Nash hit a crucial driving lay-up, then made two free throws for the deciding points as Phoenix bolstered its playoff hopes with a 93-90 victory over Los Angeles.

There were 24 lead changes before the Suns recorded their 10th straight win over the Clippers in Phoenix.

Chris Paul scored 19 points for the Clippers.

Indiana beat Milwaukee 118-109 to clinch homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Danny Granger scored 29 points and George Hill had 22 points and eight assists for the Pacers, who won their seventh straight and passed 100 points for the 12th time in 13 games.

Brandon Jennings scored 27 points for the Bucks, who lost their third straight and are running out of chances to catch up with Philadelphia for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.

In New Orleans, the hosts won 105-99 in overtime to further dent Houston's playoff hopes, inflicting the Rockets' sixth straight loss.

In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Minnesota ended an 11-game losing skid by beating Detroit 91-80.

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