Dwight Howard took just five shots in 34 minutes and was on the bench late in the fourth quarter due to his liabilities as a free throw shooter in the Houston Rockets' 109-106 victory over the New York Knicks.

"I'm happy here," Howard said. "These guys have been great to me."

Omer Asik has requested a trade from the Rockets, but they are in no hurry to grant it as they continue to figure out how to incorporate Howard.

"We're getting better, but it takes time," Howard said. "We didn't expect to all get together and be an amazing team. It takes time. We're going to go through adversity."

Unlike his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, Howard chose to sign with the Rockets and is committed to making it work.

"There's nothing for me to prove," Howard said. "I want to win a championship, and you don't do that now. You do that at the end of the season."