Dwight Howard slowly progressing in rehab from knee injury

There's been barely a peep from the Houston Rockets or Dwight Howard (save for some pretty loud suits) in regards to the star center's status as he rehabs from fluid buildup in his continually troublesome right knee. 

After having the knee drained and receiving a bone marrow injection, Howard was given a soft recovery timetable that placed his projected return anywhere from four-to-eight weeks down the road. This Wednesday will mark four weeks since the injection.  

Howard is making slow but steady progress in his recovery, and has yet to experience any setbacks, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. He's reportedly been running on a weight-controlled treadmill, steadily increasing the percentage of his body weight on the machine, but is not yet ready to return to on-court drills.

Howard is slated to have multiple MRIs next week, with the first one set for Wednesday, that will determine when he undergoes the examination that could clear him for the next step in his rehab.

Howard has missed the last 14 games, and his right knee has now cost him 26 games on the season. The Rockets have continued to excel without him, going 18-8 in those games. But overall, they've still been 5.6 points per 100 possessions with Howard on the floor, and with James Harden now hobbled, they may need him back sooner than later. 

In his second season with the Rockets, Howard has averaged 16.3 points, 11 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over 32 games.