Hurt Shaq defiant in defeat
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 27, 2007
PHILADELPHIA — Although the Heat fell to a season-low 13 games below .500 with Wednesday's 96-85 loss at Philadelphia, the real misery for this 8-21 team might be just beginning.
Center Shaquille O'Neal (left hip) and guard J-Dub (inflamed left knee) are both scheduled to see doctors today about their ailments. Any missed time by either player figures to be debilitating for Miami, which has now lost 11 of its last 15 games.
And while forward Udonis Haslem continues to insist Miami isn't a bad team, there was a good indication the Heat has lowered its standards substantially since the season opener when O'Neal seemed to say Miami is hoping to grab the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
"We're not going to get in one of those (top) four (playoff) spots," O'Neal said, "So we'll play (potential No. 1 seed) Boston, beat Boston and then be on our way.
"We just have to take all of the negative things and try to make as many positive scenarios in our mind. Right now we're four or five spots out of the eighth (playoff) spot. We just have to be smart enough to get there."
Miami is five games behind Cleveland, which currently holds the eighth spot in the East.