Doc Rivers said Shaquille O’Neal likely will miss the next two games for the Celtics after suffering what was termed a sore right hip in the first half of Friday’s win over the Jazz at TD Garden. O’Neal – who did not make the trip to Washington with the team – played just six minutes, 19 seconds before being subbed by Semih Erden, who scored a season-high 14 points off the bench in 30 minutes.

“We’re going to need him probably the next couple of games,” Rivers said of Erden. “We’re probably not going to take [O'Neal] on the trip. I think it’s his hip. Something locked up. We’ll just have to see how long that will be.”

Initially, the team announced the injury as a sore right leg. O’Neal slipped on the ice outside the Waltham practice facility and missed practice on Sunday. Rivers said he didn’t think the injury was related to that or his dive into the stands after fouling Raja Bell on a lay-up four minutes into the game.

“He told me three minutes into the game,” Rivers said. “He walked over to me and said, ‘Hey, I don’t know how long I can go. I’m feeling pretty bad. And I said, ‘You want me to take you out?’ And he said, ‘No, let me go and see how long I can go.”

The Celtics left after Friday’s game for a Saturday night date in Washington against the Wizards. O’Neal is also likely to miss next Tuesday’s game against Cleveland at TD Garden.

2 Comments for “Shaquille O’Neal battling sore right hip, might miss next 2 games”

1. Tessa Says:
   January 22nd, 2011 at 9:03 am

   Luckily the upcoming schedule is a little bit forgiving, so it’s kind of an ideal time for Shaq to sit and take a blow! But hopefully the Celtics don’t play these next couple of games like they’re gimmies and end up giving an easy one away…

2. Bail Bonds Maywood Says:
   January 23rd, 2011 at 4:01 pm

   Is it possible be writing additional about this subject?

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