Dwight Howard's back injury another reason for Orlando Magic fans to cry foul

Courtesy video /
Dr. Chetan Patel, spine surgeon at the Spine Center at Florida Hospital Altamonte, treats patients with strained backs and pain all the time. In fact, 80 percent of the population has back problems at some point intheir lives. Dwight Howard is one of them.The hospital notes that Dr. Patel is not the medical expert involved in the Orlando Magic center's treatment.

Dwight HowardORLANDO -- This lockout-shortened season has to be the worst in the Dwight Howard era for Orlando Magic fans. They now have reason to cry foul heading into the playoffs

Howard's herniated disk means he might not be able to carry the team on his back come playoff time.

Ironically on a night that Howard wassn't playing the Magic clinched a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. If the season were to end today, Orlando would be seeded 6th and likely bounced out of the opening round by one of the higher seeded teams, be it the Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls, the Boston Celtics or the Indiana Pacers. The latter two are likely candidates to face the Magic, possibly without Howard, who has a herniated disk.

Excuse the pun, but Magic fans just can't win this season.

First it was Howard letting it be known he was seeking a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks or the New Jersey Nets. Then he was. Then he wasn't. And finally he was signed for another year where he can do the same thing all over again like the Bill Murray character in "Groundhog Day."

Then there was the flap with Howard supposedly telling Magic brass he wanted coach Stan Van Gundy fired. Then he didn't.

Now the back injury.

It's now an even longer season waiting for the other sneaker to drop.