Nov. 27--PHOENIX -- Friday night, Shaquille O'Neal insists, will be "just another game," even though it's also the first time the Phoenix Suns center will face the Miami Heat since last February's trade.
As for Phoenix's March 4 visit to AmericanAirlines Arena?
"I'll probably get some boos," he said. "There's a lot of speculation on how it ended."
No, it did not end pretty, which is why while there likely will be plenty of warmth when former Suns forward Shawn Marion is introduced before Friday night's nationally televised game, the Heat is not exactly in position to embrace O'Neal.
What started early last season with a practice-court confrontation between O'Neal and then-Heat coach Pat Riley over the quality of the roster, continued with O'Neal seeking a buyout, declining to play due to a variety of questionable injuries, and then backing the franchise into the Feb. 6 trade that delivered Marion and guard Marcus Banks.
"It ended the way I wanted it to end," O'Neal said as he looked ahead Friday night's game.
When it ended, O'Neal criticized the Heat medical staff over its treatment of his ailments, even though the training staff offered the same options O'Neal praised from the Suns staff. He then noted that in Phoenix "no one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis."
While Davis has since moved on to the Clippers, Quinn said this week he made his peace with O'Neal since those March comments.
"Shaq called me," the reserve point guard said. "We talked a little bit about it."
The picture that has emerged since O'Neal's departure hardly is one of final-days team harmony.
Guard Dwyane Wade said the two have had almost no contact since the trade, and has been rather vague in his comments about the state of the relationship.
"Me and Shaq never had any problems," he said. "We understand the business of the game. We are both professionals."
