chron:Rockets forward Tracy McGrady, in the latest twist in the team's injury-marred season, was ruled out for up to five weeks because of a back injury suffered last weekend against Portland, the team announced Friday.
If McGrady is unable to play for five weeks, he would not return until the last week of a season in which the Rockets were trying to make a last-month run to a playoff spot, beginning the toughest stretch of their schedule Sunday in San Antonio.
"We can get a couple games when Tracy is out," Rockets center Yao Ming said Wednesday. "But when we play against a great team like the game coming against San Antonio, we cannot play without him. We hope he can stay healthy."
McGrady, 26, had missed 13 games this season because of back spasms when he was fouled and took a hard fall in the second half Sunday. He missed Tuesday's game at Minnesota, after saying leaving the previous game was cautionary.
"It wasn't as bad," he said. "I just didn't want to take any chances."
McGrady, 6-8, was unable to get loose before that night's game and then when he played the next night against Indiana, he left the game less than two minutes into the second half.
"It's frustrating," McGrady said after Wednesday's game. "I've been dealing with it all season."
