Heat center Shaquille O'Neal went through Tuesday's entire practice, but it wasn't certain that he would be able to start Wednesday night against Chicago, or even play significant minutes.

Coach Pat Riley was hopeful. He said Tuesday he was "surely going to probably start" O'Neal.

But Riley added that he was not sure how O'Neal would be affected by the therapy on his ailing left hip combined with two days of practice.

O'Neal, who opted not to speak to reporters again Tuesday, has missed the last eight games because of bursitis. He returned to Miami on Saturday night after spending five days in Los Angeles getting treatment from a specialist.

O'Neal might have extra incentive to play tonight because he would be facing Bulls center Ben Wallace. O'Neal generally has gotten the better of Wallace in regular-season and playoff battles.

If Shaq plays tonight, he might need some time to click with teammates, guard Dwyane Wade said.

"He has to get his conditioning back," Wade said. "And also playing with the guys again has got to come back, because we've been a pick-and-roll team for the most part and now we're trying to transition back to a post-up team." Riley, who because of injuries has had only eight or nine players available for practice most of the past two months, was pleased simply to have all 13 active players on court for the second day in a row.

"I think we got the majority of the work done to sort of re-familiarize our games," he said. "It was good." Miami, which is on a 10-game losing streak, opens a seven-game homestand tonight. It will play nine of its next 10 games at AmericanAirlines Arena. The Heat is 4-11 at home and 4-17 on the road.

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