Miami's O'Neal back on court for first time since November

Shaquille O'Neal played for 14 minutes in a Miami Heat loss on Wednesday, his first game in more than two months for the NBA champions following knee surgery.

Photo: Miami's O'Neal back on court for first time since November

O'Neal came off the bench and finished with five points and five rebounds against the Indiana Pacers, who won 96-94.

"It's good to be out there with the guys, but obviously there's a lot of rust," O'Neal said. "The rust will wear off and I'll get my rhythm back."

O'Neal, a key component to the Heat's NBA title run last season, had surgery on Nov. 19. The 7-foot-1, 325-pound (146-kilogram) center had played in only four games before he was injured, averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds.

The Heat have struggled without O'Neal, their record falling to 19-23, reports AP.

Despite the loss, Dwyane Wade was happy to have O'Neal back in the lineup.

"We're a much more powerful team with him," Wade said.