Dwight Howard has productive first half for Lakers

The good, the bad, the Dwight.

Dwight Howard was mostly solid in the first half of his Lakers debut, sprinkling in just enough mistakes to remind everybody he had gone 197 days since playing a game.

Howard had 11 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in 16 minutes as the Lakers led Sacramento, 57-46, after two quarters Sunday in an exhibition game at Staples Center.

He made an impact before the game was two minutes old, dunking an alley-oop pass from Pau Gasol. He also blocked shots by James Johnson, Tyreke Evans and Travis Outlaw in the first half.

In the second quarter, he took a bounce pass from Kobe Bryant, ripped through a foul by Chuck Hayes and made a layup. He also dunked an alley-oop pass from Bryant in the quarter and tipped in Bryant’s missed three-point attempt.

It wasn’t all poetic, as could be expected for someone who hadn’t played a game since undergoing back surgery in April.

Johnson blocked Howard’s shot as he went up for a first-quarter dunk. Then Bryant’s alley-oop attempt was mistimed, the ball caroming off the lower part of the backboard. Also, Hayes stripped Howard of the ball in the low post.

Howard made only three of eight free-throw attempts, not unusual for a player with career 58.8% accuracy from the line.

The Lakers came into the game with an 0-5 record, their worst exhibition start ever.

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