ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Lakers center Dwight Howard says that he's only thinking about the happy times he spent with the Magic as he prepares for his first return to Orlando since his contentious offseason departure.

Howard said Tuesday that he's put all past drama behind him, and has also moved past the most recent fervor over some comments he made about his former teammates during a television interview.

The Magic host Los Angeles Tuesday night in a game Los Angeles needs in order to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff chase.

Magic guard Jameer Nelson characterized their friendship as a work in progress and has hopes they can resume it after they finish playing basketball.