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Monday March 5, 2007 6:10 PM


Look Who's Back


Rockets center cleared to play after missing 32 games with a fractured tibia


Damien Pierce
Rockets.com Staff Writer

HOUSTON -- Yao Ming has been working up a sweat and rehabbing his injured right leg for over two months behind closed doors.

On Monday night, he'll finally be performing live again.

Yao will return to the starting lineup Monday night when the Rockets visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Rockets' All-Star center was cleared to play Sunday afternoon after missing 32 games with a fractured right tibia. It'll be his first action since an akward collision with the Los Angeles Clippers' Tim Thomas and teammate Chuck Hayes in a Dec. 23 setback.

Since being cleared for practice on Thursday, Yao hasn't had any setbacks with his right leg. He's expected to be wearing a brace over his right knee.

Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said Saturday that he wouldn't hesistate using his big man for extended minutes as soon as he is available.

"When he's cleared, I'm playing him," Van Gundy said.

Yao's return is just what the doctor ordered for the Rockets.

The Rockets are a surprising 21-11 without the star center, but have recently hit a tough stretch.

Over the past two weeks, Houston has lost five of its past eight games and has dropped three consecutive games at Toyota Center. The Rockets' latest setback, a 97-74 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs, was the team's worst of the season.

Yao should at the very least help a team that has been outrebounded in seven of the past eight games.

Not to mention, he should give his team a much-needed scoring option alongside Tracy McGrady, although it could take a few games for the center to work himself back into playing shape.

Yao was off to the best start of his five-year career before the injury, averaging 25.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. Along with being selected to his fifth All-Star team, the Rockets center was named the Western Conference's Player of the Month in November.

Yao said Thursday that he wasn't sure how long it would take him to regain his MVP-form from earlier this season.

"I don't know," Yao said. "The knee is very important for a basketball player and I don't know if it's going to bother me in a live game. Practice and a game are still different."

With Yao' impending return, the Rockets are planning to juggle the rotation.

The star center will replace Dikembe Mutombo as a starter and Hayes, who was starting alongside Yao earlier in the season, will replace Juwan Howard at forward.

The Rockets once again won't have Bonzi Wells, who will miss his third straight game to remain in Houston to rehab his sore right foot.