"Rockets forward Shane Battier has been playing with a sprained left shoulder that has bothered him since he became entangled with the Spurs' Tim Duncan on Jan. 22, but it became especially painful Friday against the Trail Blazers.

"It's still sore as hell," Battier said. "It feels better not getting hit (Saturday). It was good to have a day not running through the screens Juwan Howard and LaMarcus Aldridge were setting."

Battier said the pain increased most when he fell after driving to a charge against Aldridge on Friday.

On Sunday he said, he was in pain "every time I drove the ball."

Rockets center Yao Ming was cleared to work out in basketball shoes for the first time Sunday.

He did his usual weight-room work, including his stint on the gravity-control treadmill, but also went through a shooting session on the Toyota Center court."