Dwight Howard (Photo. Eriberto Oriol)

In case you missed it, the Magic played a team of Chinese “all-stars” early this morning. It wasn’t the actual Chinese national team — which is why they suited up Major Wingate and Olumide Oyedeji (who lived on the same block as my Mom back when he played for the Sonics; and none of the neighborhood kids seemed to care) — and of course Yao and Yi weren’t there. Orlando took control early and maintained the lead in the second half of a blowout … Dwight Howard didn’t put up huge numbers like he did against Cleveland yesterday, finishing with 12 points, but he only played 13 minutes. In that time he managed a few dunks, including one breakaway one-hander that Rick Kamla compared to one of LeBron’s signature tomahawks. On one play, Dwight wheeled into the lane and went up only to get the ball sent back in his face by Wingate. It was basically the greatest play Major Wingate’s ever going to make in his career, and you know Dwight’s gonna get killed for that in film session … Bo Outlaw was nice off the bench, doing his Dwight impersonation when he sent one guy’s shot into the third row and then dunked on a couple guys in transition before swinging on the rim. Bo’s like 45 and can still get up. With Tony Battie out, he definitely makes the team; he might even start … Why is it Carlos Arroyo is automatically better when he sees an international jersey in front of him? Arroyo dropped 25 points, 9 assists and 4 steals. When you watch him play for Team Puerto Rico or in games like yesterday, you wonder why he can’t produce like that over the regular 82. He’s got a handle, he’s quick, he can get hot and knock down jumpers — if anything, there must be something there where he plays better when he knows he’s getting a lot of burn and isn’t worried about getting yanked for those occasional “What are you doing?” plays … J.J. Redick struggled again from deep (which I’m not gonna lie, doesn’t bother me at all as a Georgetown fan/Duke hater), missing all of his threes, but on one two-pointer he stuck it in a defender’s eye and the guy went tumbling to the floor like Craig Ehlo after “The Shot” … The post-game press conference was weird. Dwight goes up first, and as a lady is firing off warp-speed Chinese off-screen, Dwight’s trying his hardest not to laugh. He had no idea what was supposed to do — it looked like Dwight thought the woman was asking him a question and was waiting for an interpreter to save him. After he got all that figured out and went through some basic questions, he gets up to leave and I see he’s got ice wrapped around both knees and he’s walking like Patrick Ewing. NBA vets always tell young guys to ice their knees even if they aren’t hurt, so hopefully that’s all that was … Stan Van Gundy and his one-size-fits-small jacket went up after Dwight, and it makes me (and whoever is signing the checks in Orlando) kinda nervous when he’s saying stuff like “We’re trying to get Rashard moving around.” … After Van Gundy, the Chinese all-star coach and one of the players went to the podium, and start getting bombarded with questions like “Why didn’t so-and-so play?” and “If Yao and Yi were here things would be different, right?” … Overall, I like Orlando’s team this year. Dwight’s a grown-ass man now, Jameer Nelson looks focused (he’s in a contract year), and I’m holding out hope Rashard doesn’t turn into the next Grant Hill. If J.J. steps up and does what he’s getting paid to do, they can cause some problems in the East …

NBA TV is replaying the Orlando/China game tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern time.