While many will be anticipating the second matchup tonight between Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets will have other things on their mind according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The Rockets, who are in a tight race with Phoenix for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West, are more concerned with their coach Rudy Tomjanovich. Today Tomjanovich is going to meet with the team for the first time since before their 5-game road trip and will hold a press conference.

"We haven't seen him in like nine days," guard Steve Francis said. "It will be good just to say, `What's up?' to the captain. We know he's watching all our games, watching our progress, watching what we're doing and how we're doing it. We want to be able to just see him and talk to him."

It is presumed that Tomjanovich will address his immediate future with the team at the press conference and at the team meeting. He is scheduled to start the topical treatment on the cancer that is lining his bladder next week, which coincides with a 6-game Rockets road trip.

"It will be good just to see him and hear what he has to say and take whatever (news) he has to give us," forward Maurice Taylor said. "This is the longest that we haven't seen him. If he needs to be out for the rest of the year, he will have to do whatever he can for his health, and we'll have to do what we can about these last games.

"We're definitely thinking about it. But we're not thinking about him as a coach. We're thinking about him as a person. Basketball is secondary. We want to make sure he's all right. Getting back to the team is secondary, as long as he is all right."

Tomjanovich seems alright and seems to have come to grips with the reality of what has happened.

"The next step is formalizing his treatment schedule," Rockets team physician Dr. Jim Muntz said. "He sounds relaxed and in a good mood. He sounds optimistic. He sounds really good. He sounds positive."