alamo50
05-19-2005, 11:52 AM
Thigh bruise not worse, but Heat center says it's still there
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The Heat's Shaquille O’Neal, plagued for a month by a thigh bruise, missed the final two games of the East semifinal sweep of Washington.
NBCSports.com news services
Updated: 10:25 p.m. ET May 18, 2005
MIAMI - Shaquille O'Neal's thigh injury is so troubling that he's not sure he'll be able to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Palm Beach Post reported on Wednesday.
The series will begin either Monday or Wednesday, depending on how long the Pacers-Pistons series lasts.
O'Neal is nursing a deep bruise to his right thigh. He did not play in either Game 3 or Game 4 of the Heat's second-round series against the Wizards, but the Heat won both games.
But the rest and treatment have not healed the injury, which occurred on April 17.
"It's not that it got worse, it's just there, and I need it not to be there," O'Neal told the Post.
O'Neal did some cardio work Tuesday with the team, which plans to resume full-fledged practices Wednesday. It’s unknown if O’Neal participated.
“He’s feeling better,” coach Stan Van Gundy said on Tuesday. “It’s not worth having a goal. It’s a matter of when he’s ready to go. ... Whenever we get him back, we get him back.”
Teammates still insist they are confident O’Neal will be ready for Game 1 against either Indiana or Detroit in the East finals.
“Without a doubt,” Heat forward Eddie Jones said. “His mood is getting better. Physically, he’s getting better. I think this time is great for him.”
O’Neal did not speak to reporters Tuesday. The two games he missed against the Wizards were the first playoff games he sat out in his career.
“Having a Shaq that’s 75 percent is better than not having him at all,” said Miami guard Dwyane Wade, who averaged 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists against the Wizards. “That’s what we’re trying to get him to.”
Back-to-back sweeps in the opening two playoff rounds have given the Heat no shortage of down time this postseason. Miami closed out Washington on Saturday night, meaning it’ll have either nine or 11 days between that game and the opener of its series with the Pistons or Pacers.
That, coupled with the seven off days Miami had between the first and second rounds, means the Heat should have plenty of energy for the next series.
“We’re going to reap the benefits of this one and really get our rest,” Wade said. “We came in today and got some good work in and come in tomorrow and do the same. Take this rest for what it’s worth because the next series is going to be hard and we understand that.”
One of the top concerns — other than O’Neal’s leg — going into the Washington series was how Miami would stay sharp during its down time.
The Heat quickly put those questions to rest, taking command of the series with a 19-point win in Game 1 and then pulling out three significantly closer games to close out the sweep.
And they expect the break not to be a deterrent to sharpness this time around, either.
“I don’t think it makes any difference,” Heat reserve center Michael Doleac said. “Practice hard, play hard and we’ll see what happens.”
His heroics assured the Heat at least a full week off before opening the East finals against either Indiana or Detroit — a critical rest period for Miami, which has gone without the injured O’Neal in each of the last two games because of a nagging thigh bruise.
“I can use this break just as much as anybody,” Wade said Saturday night.
Heat coach Stan Van Gundy gave his club Sunday and Monday off. They’ll return to the practice floor Tuesday, when they’ll begin walking the fine line of trying to stay sharp while getting O’Neal, Wade and other nicked-up players some time to heal their pains.
The Pistons and Pacers probably don’t want to see Wade get any better.
He’s averaging 28.6 points, 8.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in the postseason. In the eight games, he’s scored 30 or more points five times — and now even the Wizards appear to be among his biggest fans.
“He’s one of the best right now,” Washington guard Gilbert Arenas said. “He’s proving and he’s showing it. ... He’s done a great job of taking his team on his back.”
Added Wizards forward Antawn Jamison: “I tip my hat off to the young man. I’m a big fan. I respect his game and what he’s done, especially with the Big Fella hurt. ... To me, he’s the brightest star so far.”
Appearances aside, Wade hasn’t had to fend off all postseason rivals alone.
O’Neal averaged 18 points and 8.2 rebounds in his six playoff games, numbers that most NBA centers would consider spectacular yet ones that have left the three-time NBA champion “depressed,” Van Gundy said.
Eddie Jones and Damon Jones, the team’s two biggest perimeter threats, have combined to score 31.5 points a game in the playoffs, and Udonis Haslem has averaged 9.6 points and a team-best 11.5 rebounds in the postseason.
“People want to look at us as a two-man show,” Van Gundy said. “But it hasn’t been. ... We just keep finding guys to step up all year. Hopefully that will continue.”
Wade is slowly beginning to accept his role as the team’s leader, a considerable honor considering O’Neal’s locker is only a few feet away. And although O’Neal wasn’t in uniform, Wade gave his center plenty of credit for the two wins in Washington.
“Shaq wasn’t out there on the court,” Wade said, “but with his knowledge and telling us what we had to do, he did as much as anyone who was out there playing.”
Still, the Heat know that they cannot win the franchise’s first NBA title if O’Neal isn’t healthy. Wade, perhaps more than anyone else, simply cannot wait for the league’s most dominant force to return to form.
“We know he’s going to come back hungry and mad,” Wade said. “And everybody knows what a mad Shaq is like.”
© 2005 NBC Sports.com
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/ap/asiamci10505150150.vmedium.jpg
The Heat's Shaquille O’Neal, plagued for a month by a thigh bruise, missed the final two games of the East semifinal sweep of Washington.
NBCSports.com news services
Updated: 10:25 p.m. ET May 18, 2005
MIAMI - Shaquille O'Neal's thigh injury is so troubling that he's not sure he'll be able to play in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Palm Beach Post reported on Wednesday.
The series will begin either Monday or Wednesday, depending on how long the Pacers-Pistons series lasts.
O'Neal is nursing a deep bruise to his right thigh. He did not play in either Game 3 or Game 4 of the Heat's second-round series against the Wizards, but the Heat won both games.
But the rest and treatment have not healed the injury, which occurred on April 17.
"It's not that it got worse, it's just there, and I need it not to be there," O'Neal told the Post.
O'Neal did some cardio work Tuesday with the team, which plans to resume full-fledged practices Wednesday. It’s unknown if O’Neal participated.
“He’s feeling better,” coach Stan Van Gundy said on Tuesday. “It’s not worth having a goal. It’s a matter of when he’s ready to go. ... Whenever we get him back, we get him back.”
Teammates still insist they are confident O’Neal will be ready for Game 1 against either Indiana or Detroit in the East finals.
“Without a doubt,” Heat forward Eddie Jones said. “His mood is getting better. Physically, he’s getting better. I think this time is great for him.”
O’Neal did not speak to reporters Tuesday. The two games he missed against the Wizards were the first playoff games he sat out in his career.
“Having a Shaq that’s 75 percent is better than not having him at all,” said Miami guard Dwyane Wade, who averaged 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists against the Wizards. “That’s what we’re trying to get him to.”
Back-to-back sweeps in the opening two playoff rounds have given the Heat no shortage of down time this postseason. Miami closed out Washington on Saturday night, meaning it’ll have either nine or 11 days between that game and the opener of its series with the Pistons or Pacers.
That, coupled with the seven off days Miami had between the first and second rounds, means the Heat should have plenty of energy for the next series.
“We’re going to reap the benefits of this one and really get our rest,” Wade said. “We came in today and got some good work in and come in tomorrow and do the same. Take this rest for what it’s worth because the next series is going to be hard and we understand that.”
One of the top concerns — other than O’Neal’s leg — going into the Washington series was how Miami would stay sharp during its down time.
The Heat quickly put those questions to rest, taking command of the series with a 19-point win in Game 1 and then pulling out three significantly closer games to close out the sweep.
And they expect the break not to be a deterrent to sharpness this time around, either.
“I don’t think it makes any difference,” Heat reserve center Michael Doleac said. “Practice hard, play hard and we’ll see what happens.”
His heroics assured the Heat at least a full week off before opening the East finals against either Indiana or Detroit — a critical rest period for Miami, which has gone without the injured O’Neal in each of the last two games because of a nagging thigh bruise.
“I can use this break just as much as anybody,” Wade said Saturday night.
Heat coach Stan Van Gundy gave his club Sunday and Monday off. They’ll return to the practice floor Tuesday, when they’ll begin walking the fine line of trying to stay sharp while getting O’Neal, Wade and other nicked-up players some time to heal their pains.
The Pistons and Pacers probably don’t want to see Wade get any better.
He’s averaging 28.6 points, 8.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks in the postseason. In the eight games, he’s scored 30 or more points five times — and now even the Wizards appear to be among his biggest fans.
“He’s one of the best right now,” Washington guard Gilbert Arenas said. “He’s proving and he’s showing it. ... He’s done a great job of taking his team on his back.”
Added Wizards forward Antawn Jamison: “I tip my hat off to the young man. I’m a big fan. I respect his game and what he’s done, especially with the Big Fella hurt. ... To me, he’s the brightest star so far.”
Appearances aside, Wade hasn’t had to fend off all postseason rivals alone.
O’Neal averaged 18 points and 8.2 rebounds in his six playoff games, numbers that most NBA centers would consider spectacular yet ones that have left the three-time NBA champion “depressed,” Van Gundy said.
Eddie Jones and Damon Jones, the team’s two biggest perimeter threats, have combined to score 31.5 points a game in the playoffs, and Udonis Haslem has averaged 9.6 points and a team-best 11.5 rebounds in the postseason.
“People want to look at us as a two-man show,” Van Gundy said. “But it hasn’t been. ... We just keep finding guys to step up all year. Hopefully that will continue.”
Wade is slowly beginning to accept his role as the team’s leader, a considerable honor considering O’Neal’s locker is only a few feet away. And although O’Neal wasn’t in uniform, Wade gave his center plenty of credit for the two wins in Washington.
“Shaq wasn’t out there on the court,” Wade said, “but with his knowledge and telling us what we had to do, he did as much as anyone who was out there playing.”
Still, the Heat know that they cannot win the franchise’s first NBA title if O’Neal isn’t healthy. Wade, perhaps more than anyone else, simply cannot wait for the league’s most dominant force to return to form.
“We know he’s going to come back hungry and mad,” Wade said. “And everybody knows what a mad Shaq is like.”
© 2005 NBC Sports.com