O’Neal Will Sit Out This Weekend

Shaquille O’Neal is expected to sit out the Miami Heat’s two exhibition games this weekend because of a tight left hamstring.

O’Neal did not play Friday night against the Orlando Magic in Tampa, Fla., and Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy said he probably would also sit out today against the Detroit Pistons in Little Rock, Ark.

O’Neal said he hurt the hamstring at practice earlier in the week.

“I’m good ... being cautious,” he said.

O’Neal, acquired from the Lakers in a trade in July, scored 17 points in his Heat debut in an 85-75 loss to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 10.

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Atlanta Hawk forward Chris Crawford had an MRI on his injured right knee. The team said results would not be known until today.

Crawford was injured in the third quarter of Thursday night’s 99-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He was fouled by Kevin Garnett with 3:16 left in the third quarter when he tried to convert a steal into a basket.

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Boston Celtic guard Gary Payton, facing a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, had a court hearing Friday continued until Nov. 12. Payton was arrested in the early morning on Aug. 28 after a California Highway Patrol officer saw him trying to back his car down a San Diego Freeway on-ramp near Brentwood.

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Rookie center David Harrison of the Indiana Pacers sprained his right shoulder during practice and will not play in today’s exhibition at Memphis.