Dwight Howard 'in a better place' with Rockets

Dwight Howard is averaging 18.8 points per game in his first season with the Rockets.(George Bridges/Getty Images)

Entering their game against the Lakers on Wednesday, Dwight Howard's Rockets have won seven games in a row while his former team, Los Angeles, has lost a franchise record seven straight at home.

So Howard doesn't regret taking less money to join the Rockets.

"There's a couple things that could've been done, but that's over with now," Howard told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com on Tuesday. "I'm in a better place, our team is doing great and the Lakers, they'll come back. But hopefully this is the Rockets' time."

Wednesday's game will be Howard's first in L.A. against the Lakers since he left them after one tumultuous season.

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"I think I still might follow them on Twitter, that's about it," Howard said when asked if he still follows the Lakers. "I don't pay attention to what's on TV and what's being said. I just focus on my team."

"I think there will be a lot of boos," Howard added about the reception he expects to receive. "I can't really focus too much on that. I know I'm going to hear it the whole game. All the noises, whatever you want to call it, 'Coward.' There's not anything I can do about it except to go out and play."

The 28-year-old is averaging 18.8 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this season and is shooting 58 percent from the field. But he's upped those numbers to 25.8 points per game on 65.7 percent shooting in February, and Houston (36-17) is undefeated this month.

Said Rockets coach Kevin McHale: "When I watched him last year, he just looked out of sorts the whole year. He didn't look like the guy that I'd seen in Orlando. Now what caused that? I would say 70 percent of that was physical with the back and probably 30 percent of that was environmental. I guess it was a funky environment around here."

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