Things are looking a bit better for the Rockets in the new year.  Steve Francis will return to the starting line-up in tonight's game against Detroit.  And, according to Brian McTaggart, a little luck could mean that we see Glen Rice and Maurice Taylor this season as well.

Glen Rice, out with tendon damage in his knee, will get an MRI done today to see if the knee is healing.  If it is, he will give it several more weeks of rehabilitation before returning to the active roster.  If it is not, he will need to have surgery, which will cut short his season.

Maurice Taylor badly tores his Achilles' tendon in the offseason and was projected to miss the entire campaign.  He now says he's ahead of schedule and hopes to return by the All-Star break, which is probably too optimistic.  He can run on a treadmill without pain, however.