Heat center Shaquille O'Neal was not in the listed starting lineup Friday night when Miami hosted the Orlando Magic, one day after getting treatment on his sore hips.

It was O'Neal's first missed start in 30 games this season.

Point guard Jason Williams (sore left knee) also wasn't in the starting lineup although both players were included on the active roster.

Earl Barron made his first career start at center for Miami, and Dwyane Wade was slotted to start at point guard instead of his customary shooting-guard spot.

Magic GM Otis Smith is trying to construct a team around Dwight Howard that will win a title -- and hold up for a long run. It's why he isn't terribly interested in acquiring a veteran star, such as New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd, for example.

He said it isn't because Magic ownership wouldn't agree to pay another big salary and venture into the punitive luxury tax. "They'd do that, for the right guy," he said.

Stephon Marbury did not travel with the Knicks to Orlando on Tuesday and is not expected to play in Wednesday night's game against the Magic, according to a team official.

Marbury hasn't practiced or played since he recorded a DNP against Cleveland last Wednesday. Marbury has tried to come back twice since his father Don died earlier this month.

The Magic are evaluating an injury to forward Hedo Turkoglu's left-ankle area that he sustained during the club's loss to the Celtics on Sunday in Boston. He is listed day-to-day.

Turkoglu was held out of Monday's practice at RDV Sportsplex as was Orlando's other starting forward Rashard Lewis.

Lewis has been trying to recover from a sore neck that has hampered him for more than a week.

Rashard Lewis is still very much in pain, but at least he has a little relief now too.

The Orlando Magic standout forward underwent a magnetic resonance imaging test on his stiff and sore neck Thursday, and much to his delight it showed no structural damage.

"They said there was still some swelling there, but there's no serious injury," Lewis said. "It's relief. I just wanted to know what was going on with my neck before I went out there and hurt myself more. I guess I can relax some knowing that it's OK."

Lewis has been playing in pain for almost two weeks now, and the injury has affected his play on the court. He says he still has trouble turning his head to the right. He's missed just one game even though doctors have told him the neck pain could continue to linger throughout the season if he doesn't get a week's worth of rest to calm down the injury.

Orlando's star of the past got hurt, and the Magic's star of the present carried them to a victory.

Dwight Howard had 21 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, and the Magic took advantage of former Orlando star Tracy McGrady's absence in the second half to beat the Houston Rockets 97-92 on Wednesday night.

Now that taxpayers are helping pay for a new arena, the Orlando City Council wants to make it tougher for the Orlando Magic to leave town.

The council Monday approved a 23-page agreement with the Magic in which team executives agree to play their home games in Orlando and not to ask the National Basketball Association for the OK to move to another city.

If the team violates the "non-relocation" agreement before its 25-year lease expires, the Magic would have to pay big money, including the lost rent and naming-rights revenue. The agreement includes a sliding scale based on the year in which the team would attempt to skip town. In 2008, the team would owe $270 million, and in 2034 -- the last year -- $62.1 million.

Orlando Magic point guard Carlos Arroyo will miss tonight's game against the Charlotte Bobcats with a sore left foot, but forward Rashard Lewis said he will play despite a stiff neck.

Arroyo, who has been battling the foot injury for several days, missed the Magic's game on Wedesday night against the Bucks in Milwaukee.

Lewis said he woke up recently with a sore neck, but said it felt better after seeing a chiropractor in Milwaukee. He has not missed any games because of it.

Magic point guard Carlos Arroyo won't play tonight against the Lakers and likely will miss the rest of the trip that ends Monday night in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors.

Arroyo flew home to be with his ill daughter in Orlando.

It was not known the nature of her illness.

His absence means more minutes for starter Jameer Nelson, and Keyon Dooling will fill Arroyo's spot as Nelson's backup.

The NBA announced today that Jazz forward Carlos Boozer was named Western Conference Player of the Month for games played from the start of the season (Oct. 30) through November.  

Boozer ranked third in the NBA in scoring (25.4 ppg) and tied for eighth in rebounds (11.2 rpg) while helping the Jazz to an 11-5 start. Boozer?s .577 field goal percentage was the sixth-best mark in the league. Boozer scored at least 30 points six times and posted 12 double-doubles, including six straight to open the season.

This is the first Player of the Month award for Boozer, who has won Player of the Week honors three times in his career.  He is the first Jazzman to claim the monthly award since Karl Malone won it for November of 2000.

Dwight Howard was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November.  Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month were Boston?s Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Cleveland?s LeBron James, Detroit?s Tayshaun Prince, Houston?s Tracy McGrady, the Los Angeles Clippers? Chris Kaman, New Jersey?s Richard Jefferson, Phoenix?s Steve Nash, and San Antonio?s Tony Parker.