Heat center Shaquille O'Neal will be sidelined from two to four weeks with the sprained right ankle sustained in Thursday's home-opening loss to the Indiana Pacers.

O'Neal was injured when he landed on the foot of Pacers forward Ron Artest with 6 minutes, 35 seconds to play in the 105-102 loss. X-rays taken Thursday night at AmericanAirlines Arena were negative, as was an MRI conducted Friday morning at Doctor's Hospital in Coral Gables.

O'Neal, wearing a walking boot and aided by crutches, accompanied the Heat on its noon flight to Milwaukee, where it will face the Bucks tonight.

Based on the estimate of O'Neal's absence, he would miss between seven and 13 games.

Alonzo Mourning is expected to start in O'Neal's place. And with third-string center Michael Doleac still rehabilitating from a strained left calf, the Heat likely will require minutes from rookie free-agent center Earl Barron.

Via Sun Sentinel

Miami Heat

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