Hoping to play

Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, both of whom have been suffering with aching backs, said Saturday that they felt fine and should be ready to go in tonight's game at Sacramento.

"I feel better than (Friday) night," Yao said. "I'm going to try and play in (tonight's) game."

McGrady went through drills Saturday, but that doesn't mean he will play.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better," said McGrady, whose lower back stiffened up seven minutes into Wednesday's 11-point loss to Golden State. "I don't know (if he will play tonight). I wanted to play (Friday), but coach kept me out of the game.

"It's his (coach Jeff Van Gundy's) call. We'll see. I practiced (Saturday) a little bit and ran through some drills. We'll see if he lets me play (tonight)."

Wells update

Bonzi Wells logged just over 22 minutes in Friday's 85-78 loss to Portland at Toyota Center, his first playing time since Feb. 28.

Wells scored four points but made only one of his seven shots. He did have five rebounds and two assists.

"(Friday) was my first time running up and down the court in a long time," Wells said. "It's been a long, frustrating year. But that's how the ball bounces from time to time. But I'm a teammate and we're winning, so that's all that really matters. Hopefully, I can get it together sooner or later and be ready for the playoff push. If not, I guess I'll be watching the games."

Coach Jeff Van Gundy said he won't pass judgment on Wells' play in Friday's game.

"I'm not going to evaluate a guy day-to-day," Van Gundy said. "Obviously, we didn't do well as a group, but that's not on one guy. I'm going to play him in these last six games just to try and firm up what we're going to do rotation-wise in the playoffs."

Which is the opportunity Wells has sought.

"I'll just go out there and be me," Wells said. "I can score, or I can play defense. I just hope the coach gives me an opportunity. I just wish he'd have given me (an opportunity) all year to go out there and show what I could do instead of just playing me here and there every now and then."