SALT LAKE CITY -- Shaquille O'Neal won't be making a grand
return against his former team next week.
O'Neal said Saturday that he will continue practicing and
rebuilding the strength in his left knee, but there was "zero"
chance he would play Monday night when the Heat visit the Los
Angeles Lakers.
So don't plan on Kobe vs. Shaq.
O'Neal just returned to practice Thursday. He tore cartilage in
his left knee on Nov. 12 and had surgery a week later. He planned
to practice again Sunday with the Heat in Los Angeles, where he
played eight seasons.
The Heat wrap up a six-game road trip against the Lakers.
They're back at home Thursday against Indiana and play at
Philadelphia the next night. The Mavericks, who have the best
record in the league, visit Miami on Jan. 21.
O'Neal, who has played in just four games this season, wouldn't
speculate on when he'll be back in the lineup.
"I'm not sure," he said before the Heat played at Utah. "I
don't like to give dates because it's like giving a promise and not
keeping it. So whenever I'm 100 percent."
The Heat were 3-1 on the road trip entering Saturday's game
against the Jazz, despite injuries that slowed the defending NBA
champions through the first two months of the season. Still, Miami
trailed Orlando by just five games before Saturday's games.
"We've got 50-something games left," he said. "If we can't
gain [five] games in 50 games, then we don't deserve to be there."