Charlotte Hornets get significant -- and positive -- injury news versus Houston Rockets

Charlotte Hornets power forward Marvin Williams said definitively Wednesday morning “I’ll play” versus the Houston Rockets, after Williams was listed as doubtful Tuesday with a right toe-and-foot injury.

Williams’ injury was listed as a strain of his right big toe. He elaborated in an interview following a gameday shootaround, saying his foot has been sore for weeks and it was causing him movement problems in the second half of Monday’s home loss to the Golden State Warriors. Williams played only three minutes in the fourth quarter of that game due to the injury, which prompted him being listed as doubtful against the Rockets.

Williams said he felt much better Wednesday morning. He’s missed only one previous game this season; a Dec. 5 road loss in Minneapolis due to a right shoulder sprain.

Williams said he initially suffered this foot injury during a Jan. 20 road game against the Indiana Pacers while guarding Myles Turner. He’s been managing the pain for several weeks, but mobility became an issue Monday.

“At this point in the season (the final third), everybody is going to be a little beaten up, so you’ve just got to play through what you can play through,” said Williams, who has started all 59 games he’s played this season.

“I’ve always thought I could play through pain. I just felt like I wasn’t moving the way I should be moving,” Williams said. “Coach (James Borrego) saw that, so he took me out, which was best for the team. I feel better now and I’ll feel a lot better tonight. I’ll be ready to go.”

Williams said he’s been doing constant massage and icing the last several weeks, in particularly to keep the tendons stretched properly.