Bruised thigh sidelines Shaq for game 4
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-15 09:55

Shaquille O'Neal sat out Game 4 of the Miami Heat's second-round series against the Washington Wizards on Saturday night because of a bruised right thigh.

Miami Heat center Shaquille O'Neal walks onto the court prior to the game against the Washington Wizards for game 4 of 7 in the second round of the NBA playoffs at the MCI Center in Washington, Saturday, May 14, 2005. O'Neal was not to play in the game due to a bruised right thigh. [AP]

It's the same injury that sidelined O'Neal for Game 3, which Miami won 102-95 on Thursday to take a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. That was the first playoff game he missed in his NBA career, ending a streak of 164 straight postseason starts.

"He's not going to play," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said about 1 1/2 hours before the scheduled start of Saturday's game. "He just decided that he could not play. He said he could not go on it."

Alonzo Mourning was slated to start for O'Neal, just as he did Thursday. Mourning had 14 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in that game.

O'Neal missed the Heat's final two regular-season games, and his movement was limited in the first-round series sweep of the New Jersey Nets and the first two games against the Wizards.

In six postseason games, he has averaged 18 points and 8.2 rebounds — both career postseason lows.

Asked whether O'Neal would be available if the series goes to a Game 5 at Miami on Monday, Van Gundy said: "I have absolutely no idea."

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