Lakers vs. Magic: Dwight Howard's Huge 20-20 Shows Kobe Bryant What He's Missing

The Orlando Magic's 92-80 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night was no ordinary regular-season win, but instead another legendary performance from coveted big man Dwight Howard, who chipped in a monumental 21 points and 23 rebounds in 46 minutes of play.

Howard had more than half as many rebounds as the entire Lakers team, and more than Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum combined. If that doesn't spark the Lakers to offer up one or two of their bigs to Orlando for the one they call Superman than I'm not sure what will.

Despite Kobe Bryant's 30-point effort on 50 percent shooting from the field, the Lakers are just 1-6 on the road this season and desperately lacking another superstar for Bryant to lean on. After last night there is no question that Howard is just the man for the job.

Howard got the free-throw line 17 times, while Bryant, Bynum and Gasol got there 18 times combined. Superstars get to the foul line, and only superstars bring in more than 16 rebounds per night. 

Howard is doing both at an extraordinary pace this season. He's averaging more than 20 points and 16 rebounds per game while attempting nearly 12 free throws per ball game. For as young and great as Bynum is, he could never dream of boasting such ridiculous numbers.

The Lakers would be wise to go after Howard now before the Magic front office nails him to the floor of Amway Center. Friday night was not the first time Howard has gone off like this and carried his team on both sides of the floor. The reality is that Howard is doing this more and more often.

Friday night against the Lakers was Superman's fifth 20-20 game of the shortened 2011-12 NBA season. The threat of this kind of effort night in and night out would make the Lakers the instant favorite out west, even if they had to rely on Bryant and Howard to carry the load. 

The Lakers received a bitter preview of what No. 12 can bring to the table on Friday night, and don't think that Kobe Bryant and the LA front office weren't sold.