Dwight Howard Likely to Miss Playoffs with Back Injury: Orlando Magic Reportedly to be without All-Star Center in the Postseason.

Dwight Howard may be done for the rest of the season, including the playoffs.

Howard hasn't played in the last five games, and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a back injury. It was expected that the center would return in time for the postseason, but now a report says Howard might not be ready for the playoffs.

Orlando sportscaster David Pingalore says, according to sources, Howard will likely sit out the postseason.

Pingalore is the same person that first revealed that Howard had asked Magic management to fire head coach Stan Van Gundy.

Orlando is 3-2 since Howard last played. They have fallen to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Magic have the same record as the Celtics and Hawks, but lose the tiebreakers to both teams.

Howard has been one of the best players in the NBA all season long. He's averaging 20.6 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game on the year.

The Magic would have a very difficult time in the postseason without their starting big man. Howard leads the team in points, rebounds, steals and blocks per game.

Howard has just one more year left on his contract, and this would be his last playoff run with Orlando if the team decides to trade him before next year's trade deadline.