No Shaq Tonight @ the Garden

via CSNNE.com.....

NEW YORK — Celtics coach Doc Rivers says Shaquille O'Neal (right knee, calf) will miss his third straight game tonight against the New York Knicks.

"If it were a playoff game or something, Shaq would play," Rivers said. "But we're not going to play him tonight."

Rivers added, "He's just not 100 percent. And you know how we are during the regular season. We want to get as healthy as possible, and that's when we play guys."

Without O'Neal, Boston will start rookie Semih Erden at center.

Erden's play has improved since being inserted into the starting lineup. In his two previous starts, the 7-foot center has averaged nine points, five rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots.

Having the veterans around clearly helps.

But Erden told CSNNE.com that his play has improved in part because his shoulder -- which likely require surgery in the offseason - is actually feeling a lot better.

"That's good for me," Erden told CSNNE.com. "I am . . . more comfortable now. I'm feeling a lot better."

He's not the only Celtics big man on the upswing physically.

Jermaine O'Neal, who has been limited to just seven games this season due to an assortment of injuries, is in New York with the team.

He told CSNNE.com that his most recent setback, a left knee injury, is improving and he hopes to get in some practice time this week.

Depending on how that goes will determine when he'll return to action.

"I'm doing better," he told CSNNE.com. "Everything is going good; the rehab, the treatments. It's crazy with the schedule, because there's really not a lot of practice time out there. Hopefully I can get in one practice this week, and then we can gauge where I'm at, from there."