Lakers vs Rockets live stream: Watch online free Thursday 9:30 ET TNT long-awaited game as Dwight Howard plays against the team he only played one season with rather and didn't sign with during the off-season.

Even though they'll be no Kobe Bryant to match up vs Howard and the Rockets, the Lakers have been scoring at will this season while Houston is already 4-1 with this newly looked team. Watch the free live stream online for the first of four meeting this season. 

Howard won't make his reutrn to L.A. vs the Lakers until Feb. 19. The Rockets will host L.A. again on Jan. 8. Watch the free live stream online as the Lakers look to bounce back after a loss to the Mavericks while the Rockets are coming off a victory over the Trail Blazers.

It was a frenzy of a season with the Lakers last year, where Howard never seemed totally satisfied with the franchise as the team struggled for most of the season. It was a late-season turnaround that catapulted L.A. into the playoffs. Despite playing through the recovery of back surgery, Howard never said he was going to sign with L.A. who put all its cards in the hat hoping to sign him.

Howard signed a four-year $88 million contract with Houston in July. He joined James Harden, Jeremy Lin and an offense that looks to win games by simply outscoring their opponents.

"There's no need to talk about what the Lakers could have done. I made my decision and I'm living with it," he said. "I'm happy where I'm at, I'm in a great place. Everybody should move forward. It's over with."

Howard averages 17.4 PPG and 14.6 RPG for the first five games of the season. He seems healthy and ready to face a Lakers team that has allowed more points than it scores.

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