<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI ? The injury news got worse instead of better for the Heat before Tuesday's game against Denver. That's when it was determined guard Jason Williams, who was questionable, wouldn't play, and center Shaquille O'Neal, who was thought to be recovered from a bruised left knee, would miss his third game of the season. Williams, who had off-season surgery for tendinitis in his right knee, had a good day of practice Monday and coach Pat Riley seemed fairly sure he'd play Tuesday. "He looked good in practice (Monday)," Riley said. "He said he was stiff (Tuesday). I asked him, 'You ready to go?' and he said, 'No.''" Williams said he needs "two more practices," which would mean he could play Friday against New York. "It wasn't about the stiffness," Williams said. "I wasn't used to doing what I did (yesterday). I haven't done that for a long time. It wasn't sore or anything like that." Without Williams to push the tempo and start the transition game, Miami's offense has wheezed and sputtered. The Heat entered the Denver game ranked last in scoring at 88.3 points per game. Miami originally targeted mid-November for Williams' return, but during training camp Williams said it might be the end of November. Riley said he'd prefer Williams be able to come back full time whenever he returns. "When we bring him back, we want to make sure he stays back," Riley said. As for O'Neal, Tuesday was the third game he has missed this season because of a bruised left knee. </div> Source
