HOUSTON -- Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will play against Phoenix on Friday night after missing Wednesday's game against Seattle with a sore left shoulder.
But team officials said Rockets forward Shane Battier was questionable for the game with a bruised left foot and ankle. Battier played 18 minutes Wednesday, then sat out most of the second half as the Rockets pulled away for a 103-80 victory.
Houston is 53-25, one-half game ahead of Phoenix in the tight Western Conference standings.
"We'll just see who's available tomorrow," Houston coach Rick Adelman said. "I just have to rely on the medical people and those two guys being truthful and telling us how they feel."
McGrady initially sprained his shoulder late in Houston's 108-100 win over Sacramento on March 24. He played in Houston's next six games, but had recently started wearing a protective wrap.
He took a painkilling injection Tuesday, but said he would be ready to play Friday.
"I've still got some soreness in there, but I will be playing tomorrow," he said.
The Rockets have four games left in the regular season and McGrady is concerned now with getting himself healthy for the playoffs. Since hurting his shoulder, he has shot 37 percent from the field (56 of 150), including 6-for-24 from 3-point range.
"I want to be efficient when I'm out there," he said. "This is the time to be on top of your game. My shoulder being the way it is, it's been tough. Hopefully, I can turn it around and not so much worry about my shoulder and have it cause me to shoot so bad."
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