Coach: Shaq Out Against Pacers, 76ers
Cleveland coach Mike Brown announced that center Shaquille O’Neal would be sidelined by his shoulder strain through the weekend, forcing him to miss Friday’s game against the Indiana Pacers and Saturday’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Shaq missed Wednesday’s loss to the Wizards.
“It’s early in the year. We all have a better comfort level than what we had in Game 1, Game 2, Game 3. And so in my opinion, it’s an opportune time to let him get some rest and let him get his body back,” Brown said.
“I’m not thinking of, ‘He’s got to play ‘X’ amount of games.’ Just like in practice, I’m not thinking, ‘He’s got to practice 75 percent of the time,” he said.
Shaq’s been seeing limited time so far this season for the Cavs, averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in an average of 24 minutes this season.
“It’s just right here, and if I feel it, I sit him down,” Brown said. “If I don’t, then I won’t. If he feels it, hopefully he’ll communicate it with me, and same with our trainers. We’ll just kind of go from there. But really it’s not anything I’m doing that’s scientific or with a formula to it. I’m not that smart.”
Brown did add that if this were the playoffs, Shaq would be playing.
