"With the Rockets set to open the season with a back-to-back, coach Rick Adelman laid to rest any doubts about Yao Ming's availability, saying he expects his center to play opening night against the Lakers. Yao, available for just one game in back-to-backs, would then sit out Wednesday's game at Golden State.

Adelman, having grown accustomed to the many influences on Yao's playing time, said he probably would not have had a choice anyway.

"I imagine he'll play in the Laker game," Adelman said. "They'll probably tell us we have to play him anyway. It's a TNT game.

"I think it's probably better to have him play that game, and then we'll go from there."

Adelman said he will likely play Yao for the first six minutes of the game and then decide how to use him based on how Yao plays and on matchups."