Howard may realize he's in the right place

ORLANDO Maybe it was the wisdom of Rich DeVos, their ailing, 85-year-old owner who was pushed into the locker room in a wheelchair before the game Wednesday night so he could visit the players he loves. Maybe it was just all those wide-open 3-point shots. Or maybe, just maybe, it was Dwight Howard -- after listening closely to DeVos -- starting to waiver from his earlier trade demand, believing he still could win an NBA championship in Orlando before rival LeBron James does it in Miami. And wouldn't that be something. Whatever it was, the Orlando Magic destroyed the Miami Heat Wednesday night, leading from start to finish, end-to-end, in a 102-89 victory that might be a whole lot more like a franchise saver than just another regular season win. "Games like this can cement people," DeVos said quietly after the game, in hallway outside the locker room, in the arena named after the company he built. "Dwight is in a good place now. When you're young, sometimes you don't always realize it." Howard, playing more inspired than ever, lifted the Magic with his 25 points, 24 rebounds and on-the-mark free throw shooting. He dominated the Heat, who had won nine of their previous 10 games and were looking everything like the championship team they are predicted to be. Until they came to Orlando. While most everyone is predicting Howard's immanent departure, urging the Magic to trade him for something anything -- before he leaves as a free agent this summer, DeVos still is hoping and still believes he can convince him to stay. DeVos has reason for being an optimist. He has lived almost 15 years now after his heart transplant in 1997. He wants to win as much as Howard does. He promised him recently that he is keeping the team in the family for exactly that reason, and he'll spend whatever it takes to build a winner around Howard. "We talk about that. We want to win, too. Everyone wants to win a championship. I want a ring for our players," DeVos said. "But you can't change anything until he says he's going to stay. Then you can do a lot of things." DeVos put the percentages of Howard staying at "50-50." Howard, meanwhile, smiled after the game at the mention of his owner. DeVos doesn't come very often. His home is in Michigan, and he doesn't travel very well anymore. This was the fourth game he has seen in person this season. "We talk every time he comes," Howard said. "Every time we talk." Howard got more than the usual help Wedneday from his teammates, which was one reason for his trade demand before the season began. He doesn't believe the team now is good enough to help him win an NBA title. They probably are not. And he wants to play in a bigger market, like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas. For at least one night, though, his teammates looked good enough. Power forward Ryan Anderson had 27 points and 11 rebounds. They took a franchise record 42 3-point shots and made 17 of them, enough to loosen the defense for Howard inside. They moved the ball well to create open shots. They stood up strong after the Heat rallied in the second quarter. They fought off a charge by the best team in the East. Seven of the nine players hit at least one 3-point shot. They fed Howard when he needed the ball. They all were a little touched by the visit of DeVos, who speaks quietly now but with considerable weight. "He's the most genuine and as humble as anyone I've ever been around," said point guard Jameer Nelson, who greeted his owner during the game when he trotted over to his courtside seat. "He's been a blessing to all of us, and I think everyone in this locker room just loves him." Nelson, though, hesitated when he was asked if he thought DeVos could convince Howard to stay. "I'm not going to go there," Nelson said. "That's not up to me." Anderson, meanwhile, is having his best season, his first as a starter. His defense and rebounding may need work, but his ability to hit shots has been impressive all season. He made five of his 11 from 3-point range. "When we play like this, we can beat just about anyone," Anderson said. "Hopefully, that will be good enough." Howard was asked about chasing a championship, something LeBron James has spoken about often. Both of them are looking for their first. James struggled in the second half Wednesday,and missed all eight of his shots. He finished with 17 points. Dwyane Wade had a game high 33 points, but he never threatened the Magic. "It (a championship) is the reason most of us play this game," Howard said. "LeBron and I have gotten all the individual accolades, but there is still one thing missing. And that's the difference between the really good players and the great ones. Both of us are chasing it."