Yao Ming would have felt awful if his left big toe did not feel so good.
 
At this point, perhaps that is the way the Rockets would prefer it. He can rebuild his conditioning, but first he needed to bring his troublesome left big toe, now without the toenail that was removed a week ago, back on the court for Sunday's test drive.

After his first practice since last week's procedure forced him to sit out the week, Yao said he felt no pain in the toe.

But he said his conditioning fell off dramatically, changing the Rockets' focus to getting him back in shape.

"I think one week off took almost everything away from me," Yao said. "I'm not in good shape now after a week not running. I have to do more work after the team practice to get back in game shape. My foot, I feel good."

With that, Yao launched into an unsolicited testimonial for his basketball shoes. Sunday, he wore the model he wore throughout the offseason, as opposed to the tweaked version that had arrived last week.

Though no one asked about the shoe, he said again that he believed it had not caused the problem, even if he did not know what did.

"I was back in the shoes, the same shoes I used in the World games," Yao said. "I trained in the same shoes all summer long. Also the toe doctor told me it's not the shoes, it's something else.

"We'll try to figure it out. He doesn't think it's a shoes problem, he told me.

"I don't know (what caused the problem), but I feel good I can go back and play, no problem. The most important thing is I have no problem to go back and play now."

Still, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was not ready to rule out anything.

"I would say if you don't know what the reason is, you don't know what the reason isn't," he said. "I understand his predicament, certainly. I understand business-wise what he is saying, but without question, if you don't know what it is (causing) the problem, then you can't eliminate anything."

Yao had developed bleeding under the toenail in the Oct. 4 morning practice in Austin. The blood was drained and he practiced again that afternoon and the next day, before he was told to sit out the rest of the Austin training camp.

With the decision to remove the toenail, he went nine days between workouts.

Last season, similar problems with the toenail led to an infection and eventually surgery that cost him 21 games in December and January.

He cited the delay in the delivery of Yao's newest shoes and lamented the efforts of Reebok representatives to say the shoes were not at fault without knowing what is, or how to prevent it.
"Initially the reaction was typical ¡ª it's not my fault, it's not the shoes," Van Gundy said. "I stand by what I said. I didn't say it to incite a reaction. I just said it because in my mind I was saying what is true.

"Last year Yao felt good about his toe situation before his situation became a situation. I don't feel as confident about Yao's situation as he would because I know what it developed into last year when everybody was saying the same happy talk they're talking right now.

"I think everyone has got to be diligent every day about monitoring that situation, hoping for the best, trying to prevent the worst."

But at least on the court, the goal shifted Sunday to getting Yao ready to play.

The Rockets have just five preseason games remaining, with a back-to-back beginning against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Asked if he expected to play Tuesday in Dallas, Yao said: "Yeah. Why not?"
 
(CRIENGLISH/chron.com October 17, 2006)