WASHINGTON — Dwight Howard is scheduled to make his Washington Wizards debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

Wizards coach Scott Brooks says his team's new centre practiced Thursday and will start against visiting Oklahoma City.

The Wizards are off to a 1-6 start without Howard. He missed all of training camp, the preseason and the first seven games of the regular season because of a sore backside.

Howard didn't travel with the team on Washington's recent five-game road trip.

Brooks says power forward Markieff Morris is out of the concussion protocol and practiced Thursday. He is also expected to play Friday against the Thunder.

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