There are eight games in the NBA tonight, headlined by the return of Dwight Howard to Orlando. Emotions will be running high tonight and the boos will be raining down on Howard as he plays on the visiting team for the first time ever in Orlando.

Boston at Charlotte, 4:00 PM

LA Lakers at Orlando, 4:00 PM, Time Warner Sports

Washington at Cleveland, 4:00 PM

New Orleans at Brooklyn, 4:30 PM

Atlanta at Miami, 4:30 PM, NBA-TV

Dallas at Milwaukee, 5:00 PM

San Antonio at Minnesota, 5:00 PM

Memphis at Portland, 7:00 PM

The game that everyone is talking about is the return of the Dwightmare. But over and above the soap opera, the game means something in the playoff race as well as the Lakers are battling for a playoff spot in the West.

On NBA-TV the Heat are facing the Atlanta Hawks, going for their 19th straight win. They already own the league's longest winning streak this season (surpassing the Clippers 17 game streak) and are just three wins from tying the second longest winning streak in NBA history.

San Antonio will be playing without Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard when the travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves, but Minnesota is missing most of their team as well, so those folks who bought tickets for Wolves-Spur when they first went on sale are probably going to feel a bit ripped off tonight.

Memphis plays at Portland in the late game. The Grizzlies have won 12 of 13, but few of the opponents have been as tough as the Blazers playing in the Rose Garden, where they are 20-10. This could be a very good game.