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	McGrady

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets will have to make do without superstar Tracy McGrady, whose balky back has flared up once again.

The Rockets announced Monday that McGrady is suffering from back spasms and will be unavailable for Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Houston's leading scorer each of the past two seasons, McGrady began experiencing back pain in Saturday's 114-109 victory over the Washington Wizards and left midway through the fourth quarter. The Rockets are listing him as day-to-day.

McGrady, 27, is averaging 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 20 games this season.

A two-time scoring champion and a six-time All-Star, McGrady has battled back from injuries throughout his career but was seriously affected by the chronic ailment for the first time last season, when he missed 34 games with a variety of problems.

McGrady experienced back problems for the first time last season in early November and missed two weeks. He was sidelined one week with back spasms last January before suffering a bruised tailbone on March 10, an injury that forced him to miss the remainder of the season.