Miami (1-1) at Milwaukee (2-0), 8:30 pm EST
MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Rookie Andrew Bogut and the Milwaukee
Bucks catch a big break as the Miami Heat will be without
superstar center Shaquille O'Neal when they visit the Bradley
Center on Saturday.
A 12-time All-Star, O'Neal sprained his right ankle late in
Miami's 105-102 loss to Indiana on Thursday night. X-rays
were negative, but the 33-year-old O'Neal is expected to miss
at least two weeks.
Dwyane Wade did all he could in O'Neal's absence, collecting 31
points, 10 assists and six rebounds in the loss to Indiana.
However, the Heat received little from Antoine Walker, who
made just 5-of-15 shots and committed five turnovers.
In O'Neal's absence, Miami - which was 6-3 without him last
season - will turn to veteran Alonzo Mourning, who still is
one of the tougher defenders in the league. However,
Mourning is a big dropoff from O'Neal, who likely would have
given Bogut fits in the paint.
The top overall pick in June's draft, Bogut has held his own
through the first two games of his career, averaging 11.5 points
and 13 rebounds. He scored 10 points and grabbed 17 boards in
Wednesday's 110-96 triumph at New Jersey.
However, the offensive star for the Bucks has been guard Michael
Redd, who scored 30 points in a season-opening win at
Philadelphia and followed that performance with a career-high
41 points in Wednesday's victory.
T.J. Ford, who missed all of last season following spine
surgery, scored 21 points and dished out six assists. Maurice
Williams added 23 and five off the bench for Milwaukee, which
shot just 38 percent (35-of-92).




