Both players left the court holding towels over their faces and both needed stitches.

``They both have headaches,'' Magic spokesman Joel Glass said. ``They hit pretty hard. We'll just see how they feel in the morning and go from there.''

Howard, six-foot-11 and 268 pounds, was crouched low with the ball when Nelson, five-foot-10 and 190 pounds, curled around him chasing Travis Diener. Howard and Nelson then crashed into each other.

The Magic already were missing guard J.J. Redick (left foot) and Tony Battie (right knee).