For O’Neal, Rest Is History

Despite only slight improvement in his aching toes, Shaquille O’Neal came off the injured list on Friday night and resumed a season made arduous by the nagging ailments.

O’Neal was in the starting lineup against the Phoenix Suns after sitting out five games, time spent attempting to ease the pain, primarily in his arthritic right big toe.

“It was good to get some rest,” O’Neal said. “It was hospitable of them to do that for me.”

Asked why, given his lack of progress, he would return to the floor, O’Neal said, “Because I’m back on the drugs. Hopefully, the drugs will carry me.”

O’Neal averaged 26 points and 11.5 rebounds in 23 games before Christmas Day, when the pain forced him to the injured list. Since then, he has resumed his use of anti-inflammatory medication, which upsets his stomach.

Coach Phil Jackson has said he would limit O’Neal’s practice time, if not his playing time. He also suggested O’Neal might need at least another stint on the injured list before the regular season ends, a strategy that could have him miss the NBA All-Star game in February.

“It wears at you,” Jackson said of the daily pain. “We’ve all had limitations due to physical things, and it wears at you, especially when you can’t do the things you expect to do on the basketball court. Your coach is looking funny at you and your teammates complain you’re not giving them help on the screen-and-rolls and that wears at you too.”

O’Neal’s break, then, was nearly as much for emotional reasons as physical ones. The challenge now will be to have him sound in April, in time for the playoffs. No one seems to know just how that will play out.

“Obviously, [his] extra weight has a lot to do with it,” Jackson said. “But it’s not the ... primary cause. And neither are his tennis shoes, although they could contribute too. Who knows? The fact is, it’s there. And now how do you deal with it?”

Jelani McCoy was put on the injured list.