Heat center Jermaine O'Neal sidelined by groin-hip ailment

MIAMI - Miami Heat center Jermaine O'Neal missed his fourth game of the season Monday night, due to a balky right groin that is being classified as strain and hip flexor.

Joel Anthony started in place of O'Neal in Monday's game against the visiting Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Arena, with coach Erik Spoelstra hopeful of having O'Neal back for Wednesday's home game against the Boston Celtics.

Spoelstra said it was a lingering concern that the team decided was time to address.

"He's going to do therapy and hopefully, in the next 24 hours, we'll see it respond more," the second-year coach said. "It is getting better, but it got to the point where it would get better, then tweak it again, get better, tweak it.

"It's not severe, but we want to make sure we can get him as close to 100 percent as we can."

Spoelstra said the training staff could not isolate a specific event that triggered the ailment.

"About the last couple of weeks, he's been dealing with it," Spoelstra said. "But we came to a head, probably in the (Thursday) San Antonio game, in the second half. And it just wasn't getting significantly better.

"It wasn't enough to really sit out. So hopefully this will just be a one-game thing, but we'll have to see. We'll have to see how he responds to the therapy and the medicine and some rest."

The 31-year-old veteran played 40 minutes last Wednesday against the New Orleans Hornets, the night before playing just 16 against the San Antonio Spurs. He then played 26 in Saturday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats, at one point diving to the floor for a loose ball, an episode Spoelstra said did not exacerbate the ailment.

The Heat lost all three of those games, with O'Neal limited to 24 total points.

O'Neal previously missed two games due to a family funeral, as well as a game earlier in the season due to a hip contusion.

Monday marked Anthony's fourth start of the season, with Jamaal Magloire moved into the backup role at center.

Despite utilizing Magloire for just 57 minutes entering Monday, Spoelstra said he had faith in the brawny veteran.

"The way I view Jamaal, he's not a third center in this league," Spoelstra said. "The way this team is set up, he's been very patient and has kept good perspective and kept himself in phenomenal condition."

Monday marked the third time in four meetings with the Hawks that O'Neal has been sidelined. He missed the final two games of last season's first-round playoff series against Atlanta due to a concussion.