Dwight Howard had plenty of time for jokes after his Los Angeles Lakers blew the New York Knicks out of the water with a 30-point win on Tuesday.

The Lakers big man had the chops to play jokes on reporters when asked about his participation on the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest, denying his role in it:

“Who told you that?” asked the Lakers veteran. “I never said anything about a dunk contest. My dunk contest is before the games. I don't know where that came from … I just want to win a championship.

“I don't know where you guys are getting this information from. I never said I was doing the dunk contest.”

Howard tried to keep it together, but his smile gave him away after he was pressed for more information. His prank started to fall apart once a reporter informed him that his Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, already had volunteered to help him for the event.

From that point on, Howard's efforts to throw dirt on that original report went to waste, as most scribes in the Lakers' locker room figured out it was just another one of his pranks.

The 6-foot-10 Lakers center told no lies, however, only stating he never said he'd be in the contest and then avoiding direct yes or no answers by giving different responses — a trick better left for experienced politicians.

Fear not, citizens of Metropolis, Los Angeles, Superman will return to the Slam Dunk Contest after 11 years, likely showing a much different gamut of dunks, now a decade wiser.