Dwight Howard made his debut with the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, scoring 19 points with 12 rebounds and four blocks in 33 minutes.

"I'm so thankful to be back on the court after coming off a serious surgery," Howard said. "I'm going to make the best of it."

"He looked normal to me in terms of how he was running and his stamina," Kobe Bryant said of Howard. "He looked great."

Howard admitted feeling nervous and "shedding a few tears" before the Lakers introduced him to the starting lineup. 

"I was a little emotional because I haven't been on the court in a while," Howard said. "I just thank God that I came back as fast as I did. I didn't know what to expect. It was a very humbling experience."