Dwight Howard’s back injury is actually a sore piriformis

Dwight Howard has been diagnosed with a piriformis injury after visiting a specialist in New York, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Charania is also reporting that the injury isn’t a serious one, which is great news for the Wizards. Howard’s injury was initially diagnosed as a lower back injury discovered just before training camp after enduring a lengthy flight to China.

Washington seems to have dodged a big one, for now, avoiding a crucial back injury—he’s had issues with it before in stints with the Lakers and Rockets. Now that they know it’s a buttocks injury, the Wizards can properly treat Howard.

Hopefully, this isn’t a case of Howard having one injury that turns into another where his back could be affected. It’s unclear when he’ll return, but the team will continue treatment.