NBA

Heat's injury problems extend beyond O'Neal

By wire services
Published May 28, 2005

MIAMI - Shaquille O'Neal isn't the only Heat player with health concerns.

While O'Neal's bruised right thigh has been a source of daily concern for several weeks, he's just one of many Heat players spending as much - or perhaps more - time in the training room than on the practice floor.

Three starters - O'Neal, Damon Jones and Udonis Haslem - and reserve forward Christian Laettner all were unable to practice on Friday.

Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said he expects everyone on the playoff roster to be available Sunday, when the Heat visits Detroit for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

O'Neal's thigh limits his mobility, though he has averaged 33 minutes, 18.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in this series. Jones has an injured heel that won't get significantly better until the offseason. Haslem has a dislocated finger on his left hand and Laettner has battled foot problems for much of the season.

JOHNSON BACK: Joe Johnson will be back in the starting lineup for Game 3 of tonight's West finals at San Antonio as Phoenix tries to cut into a 2-0 series deficit.

Johnson's return was expected after he practiced Thursday, but he was awaiting final approval from doctors. He will wear a protective mask.

"I'm not worried about my face," he said. "I'm just going to come out and play like I always have. Nothing's going to change because I've got a mask on."

Johnson, the team's third-leading scorer, has been out since May 11, when a face-first fall from the rim left him with a broken bone near his left eye, a big gash, a cut inside his mouth and a mild concussion.

LABOR TALKS: The league and players' union had a "cordial" meeting and agreed to resume negotiations toward a new labor contract next week, league spokesman Tim Andree said.

A two-hour session in New York marked the first face-to-face bargaining since the league broke off talks on May 18. The labor contract expires on July 1, three days after the draft.

[Last modified May 28, 2005, 00:09:12]