TIGARD, Ore. - Rockets head athletic trainer Jason Biles was discussing the uninterrupted progress Dwight Howard had made since returning to the court and the drills he'd put Howard through since he began an "offseason" program during the season. One word resonated.

Biles cited the return of Howard's "explosiveness," and as the word hung in the air as if it were reaching for an alley oop, Howard took a Pablo Prigioni pass to the most violent of dunks. It echoed through the practice facility gym that had become the Rockets' home in the Portland area.

Howard, 29, was not just pushing himself through increasing demands. He said he was more "explosive" than at any time this season.

"Every workout has been super tough," Howard said. "They have been trying to push me to the extreme so that I will be better than being in game shape. I will be in better shape than that. They are trying to test my limits to see how far I can go each day.

"I won't let anything hold me back. I've been injured before. I've had worse injuries than this. I'm going to continue to work hard. I just look forward to getting back on the floor to dominate."

Howard, who has not played since Jan. 23, has been back on the court for about a week, running sprints, cutting through cones, and slamming through two-on-two workouts with teammates Prigioni and Jason Terry and assistant coach Josh Powell.

Howard and the Rockets have not put a timetable on his return to games, but Biles said the original plan of six to eight weeks stands. Wednesday marks five weeks since he had a bone marrow aspirate injection.

"I'm a little bit more explosive right now," Howard said. "They've been working on my conditioning a lot, too. All season long, I've been battling back from an injury. It was tough for me to stay in shape and also play at a high level.

"This time, I think they took the necessary steps to make sure I won't reinjure my leg. They've been working on my full body - back, legs, whatever may cause any weaknesses in my body."

Asked if he is stronger than at any other time this season, Howard said: "Oh, yeah. For sure. I don't think this season I had a time I felt really good on the floor."

Free of pain

Howard said he has felt no pain in rehab workouts or afterward, but the Rockets are evaluating more than his feedback. In addition to the heart monitor all Rockets wear, he has been outfitted with special monitors on each leg to track the force he produces with each side of his body to make sure he does not favor his right leg.

Previously, when the Rockets videotaped Howard running on a gravity-controlled treadmill, he seemed symmetrical. The monitors showed he was favoring his right side, but he has since rebuilt the strength in his right leg. But Howard has worked on much more than the rehab.

"We basically had an offseason program that we've been able to put together in-season," Biles said. "He really had intense training sessions that addressed him from a total-body standpoint, everything from addressing his ankle mobility, which is key to jumping and taking away stress from the knees, to activating and strengthening his hips and core and quads to support his knee and low back. It's all coming together nicely.

"Knock on wood, we haven't had any setbacks. He feels really good about how his body feels. His conditioning and explosiveness - as you can tell - are coming along right on pace to come back."

Coach Kevin McHale cautioned there is a significant difference between drills and training and competing in NBA games.

"He's getting closer," McHale said. "All the treadmilling and cone running is a great start, but you have to play basketball, which is changing directions not (directed) by cones but by people, getting hit, getting pushed. You can't replicate any of those stresses that you get in NBA games. The big thing for Dwight will be getting him on the floor and getting him more comfortable with that."

On side of caution

Since the examinations in January that showed relatively little cartilage damage - the issue was with fluid that built up in Howard's right knee - the Rockets were determined to move slowly, getting things started with weight work and swimming before moving Howard to a stationary bicycle, then a treadmill that limited his body weight, and finally the court.

"We're not going to rush it," Biles said. "We have goals and objectives that he needs to achieve basketball-wise and with his body in testing. As he checks those off, we're one step closer."

Never a doubt

Howard can see a finish line, but he said he always was certain he would be back.

"I never (worried) since the time I talked to the doctors and they gave me what I needed to do," Howard said. "I've stuck with it. As hard as it has been to stick with the process, I've done an excellent job, and the trainers have done an excellent job of making sure I'm doing everything the right way. I haven't had any symptoms since I've been doing the work. I want to continue doing that."