O’Neal’s Status Will Be a Game-Time Decision

Shaquille O’Neal wants to play in the Miami Heat’s opener tonight at New Jersey despite a strained left hamstring.

O’Neal said after Tuesday’s practice the hamstring felt awkward when he ran. He hurt himself nearly three weeks ago and aggravated the injury last week in an exhibition game.

Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy said O’Neal’s availability would not be determined until game time. If O’Neal cannot play, Michael Doleac will start at center.

“You don’t want to take something small and make it big. ... It’s real frustrating,” O’Neal said. “I’ve done a lot of work. I wanted things to be perfect, but you just have to adjust and wait until it becomes perfect.”

O’Neal missed 15 games in each of the past three seasons because of foot and leg injuries.

“If he’s healthy, he’ll play,” Van Gundy said. “If not, he won’t.”

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A federal jury ordered Toronto Raptor forward Vince Carter to pay his imprisoned former agent, William “Tank” Black, nearly $4.7 million in lost commissions and damages.

The panel said Carter breached his contract with Black’s company, Professional Management Inc., when Carter dissolved the agreement in 2000. It awarded Black $4,675,640.45 in actual damages.

The jury also found that Black violated his fiduciary duties to Carter and ordered the one-time sports agent to pay $800,000 to Carter. That was the total of two loans Carter made to Black.

Black, who signed Carter after he left North Carolina in 1998, had sued his former client for $9 million in commissions for endorsement deals the former agent said he landed for Carter, as well as $5 million in damages.

Carter countersued, demanding Black pay him the $15.9 million Carter lost when Puma sued him over a failed shoe deal, and a $3 million penalty for breaking the contract.

Jake Moore, Carter’s attorney, said Carter planned to appeal.