Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo had to leave Wednesday's game in the fourth quarter after a collision with the Celtics' Michael Olowokandi. But Mutombo said he will be able to play Friday against the Nets.

"It scared me," Mutombo said. "I'm going toward the end of my career. I don't want to walk away like that. I have a flash memory of watching Charles Barkley getting carried out (in Philadelphia). That got in my mind. But I think I'm going to be able to play on Friday.

"It's a little bit sore. It got hit from the inside. Sometimes when you get hit like this, you don't know how you will feel the next day. I'm just praying I will wake up and feel better than I'm feeling now. It's swelling a little bit."