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Shaq sits out with hip bruise
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After absorbing a Jason Terry knee early in Sunday’s loss to Dallas, Suns center Shaquille O’Neal sat out Tuesday night’s game with the Grizzlies in Memphis with a right hip bruise.
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The Suns began their final set of back-to-back games Tuesday, and Suns coach Mike D’Antoni said the hope is that O’Neal will be able to play in today’s game in San Antonio against the Spurs after resting Tuesday.
“He was having trouble (Monday), so we held him out of practice and we decided as a precaution he’d sit out,” D’Antoni said. “He has to improve a little. We expect him to play (today).”
Suns trainer Aaron Nelson said that O’Neal said he could play Tuesday, “But we don’t want this to linger. We think sitting down for a night is the best thing.”
Tuesday marked the first game O’Neal has missed since making his Suns debut on Feb. 20 against the Lakers. The Suns are 14-10 in those 24 games, and O’Neal has averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds over his last nine games.
Amaré Stoudemire slid over to the center spot against the Grizzlies, with Boris Diaw starting at the power forward spot.
Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are the only Suns to play in all 78 games this season.
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