Dwight Howard injury: Lakers center says shoulder is sore

When Dwight Howard came to the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, he was coming off back surgery. He clearly wasn't 100 percent healthy when he took the floor earlier in the year. Now, as the midway point in the season nears, Howard is dealing with another ailment.

According to a report from Mark Medina of Inside SoCal, Howard described his right shoulder as "sore" following Friday's loss to the Clippers. It appears that the seven-foot big man injured the shoulder during the third quarter on a play in which he made contact with Caron Butler in the lane:

"It's sore," he said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow."

It is unclear whether or not Howard will miss any games this week. L.A. is set to play the Nuggets at home on Sunday night. They then have a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday night in Houston and San Antonio.

Howard's injuries have affected his offensive output this year. He's averaging about three points and two rebounds fewer than he has over the course of his career, and some have raised questions about his footwork and mobility on defense. If the Lakers hope to turn things around in the second half of the season, they'll need Howard healthy and productive.