Houston Rockets all-star center Yao Ming today was medically cleared by Rockets team physicians to return to action and has been moved to the team's active roster. Yao is expected to be in the starting lineup for Monday's road game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

The five-time all-star starter has been out since suffering a small fracture of the right anterior medial tibial plateau in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers on 12/23/06.

Prior to the injury, Yao was averaging a career-best 25.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. So far this season, Yao has posted nine 30-point performances and leads the team with 11 double-doubles despite having played in just 27 of the team's 59 games.

In November, he was named the Western Conference Player of the Month for the first time in his career after averaging 25.7 points and 10.1 rebounds and leading the Rockets to a 10-5 record for the month.

The Rockets for the most part did surprisingly well without Yao, with credit going not just to Tracy McGrady but the entire team, especially coach Jeff Van Gundy.