Rumors, moves, injuries and newsmakers...

Butler targets Thursday return; No quit in Houston frontcourt; Wallace rusty in return to Bobcats; West doesn't miss a beat for Hornets; Another double-double for Howard; Pavlovic will need some time to find his rhythm; and more...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 
Washington's Caron Butler is hoping to celebrate his 28th birthday on Thursday by returning to the Wizards lineup after a 16-game absence due to a hip injury. The All-Star forward was averaging 21.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game before the injury.

Darius Songaila has been starting for Butler of late, but the 30-year-old Lithuanian does not possess the firepower to replace the offensive output of his banged-up teammate.

Assuming Butler does suit up on Thursday, he'll face a stiff test as the Wizards face a red-hot LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. King James had 42 points in a Cleveland loss to New Jersey on Wednesday. The MVP candidate has now scored at least 37 points in five of his past six outings.

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ROCKET MEN 
The Houston frontcourt continues to play well despite the absence of Yao Ming, who is gone for the season with a foot injury. On Wednesday, power forward Luis Scola and his back-up Chuck Hayes both pulled down 12 rebounds in the Rockets' 83-75 win over the Hawks. INTEL: It was the 20th consecutive win for Houston, making the Rockets just the third NBA team to ever record such a lengthy winning streak. However, starting center Dikembe Mutombo was once again not much of a factor, pulling down only six rebounds in the victory. Additionally, rookie forward Carl Landry did not travel with the team due to a sore knee.

YOUR JOSH-ING 
Atlanta forward Josh Smith had another huge game on Wednesday, scoring 16 points and adding a career-high 22 rebounds in the Hawks' 83-75 loss to the Rockets. INTEL: The 22-year-old, already playing in his fourth NBA season, has taken his game to a new level over the past two years. Along with 21-year-old rookie Al Horford and 22-year-old Marvin Williams, the Hawks have a young and athletically-gifted nucleus to build on in the coming years.

SHAKING OFF THE COBWEBS 
Charlotte forward Gerald Wallace was back in the Bobcats lineup on Wednesday after sitting out eight games with a concussion. The 25-year-old came off the bench and looked a tad rusty, scoring 14 points on a 5-for-12 shooting night in a 118-93 loss to Dallas. INTEL: The return of Wallace likely means far less playing time for rookie Jared Dudley, who picked up nine points and four rebounds in the loss. It is the fourth concussion for Wallace over his last four seasons, an indication that durability may be an issue in his future.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON  
New Orleans forward David West made a triumphant return to the court on Wednesday, scoring a team-high 29 points and adding 10 rebounds in the Hornets' impressive 100-75 rout of the Spurs. West had missed his previous three games with an ankle injury. INTEL: With West back in the starting lineup, journeyman forward Ryan Bowen can return to his more comfortable bench role.

MILESTONE ALERT 
San Antonio veteran Bruce Bowen started his 500th consecutive game on Wednesday, marking the longest current streak in the NBA. The 36-year-old small forward's streak began back in February of 2002. INTEL: Known as a defensive specialist, Bowen's Wednesday stat line of two points, three assists and two rebounds does not look that impressive on paper. However, ask any of his teammates and they'll tell you that Bowen's presence is a significant factor in San Antonio's enduring success in recent seasons.

SUPERMAN TO THE RESCUE 
Magic big man Dwight Howard registered his NBA-leading 57th double-double of the season on Wednesday night with 22 points and 13 rebounds in a 110-88 demolition of the Clippers. INTEL: Howard is averaging 21.8 points and 14.5 rebounds per game in 2007-08. If he can bump his rebounding numbers a little, he could become the first NBA players since Hall-of-Famer Moses Malone to average at least 20 points and 15 boards per game for an entire season. Malone last did it during the 1982-83 season.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN 
Clippers center Chris Kaman missed his second consecutive game due to back spasms on Wednesday. INTEL: With no Kaman and Elton Brand unavailable this season due to an Achilles' injury, Los Angeles had to face Orlando on Wednesday with an undersized frontcourt that consisted of Tim Thomas, Josh Powell and Corey Maggette. The Clippers are reportedly concerned that Kaman's back woes could be an ongoing issue for the remainder of this season.

GIVE IT SOME TIME 
After seven weeks on the shelf with a foot injury, it's not that surprising that Cleveland's Sasha Pavlovic struggled in his first game back on Wednesday, a 104-99 loss to New Jersey. INTEL: The 24-year-old shooting guard played a forgettable 10 minutes, missing all three of his shots from the field and finished with zero points. Devin Brown was solid off the bench in relief of Pavlovic, scoring 19 points to go with seven rebounds. Look for Brown to continue to log big minutes until Pavlovic can play himself into shape.

PISTONS MISFIRE 
The Pistons dropped an 83-82 decision to the Sixers on Wednesday night, but none of the blame for the loss should fall at the feet of Detroit's Rasheed Wallace. The veteran was back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sore ankle. He had a team-high 17 points in the loss. INTEL: With 'Sheed back on track, new acquisition Theo Ratliff will shift to a more appropriate bench role.