The Rockets plan to limit center Yao Ming to 24 minutes per game this season.

There will be no exceptions, once the All-Star center reaches his limit he'll be removed from the game.

"Twenty-four is his number all year," trainer Keith Jones said. "Playoffs come, things could change. We're trying to get him through April.

"We're trying to give him the best chance to play the whole season by limiting stress. Even practices, if we play on Monday and play again on Wednesday, can he practice on Tuesday? No. He'll practice, but he won't scrimmage."

Yao also is likely to be held out of the second half of back-to-backs.