MIAMI - Shaquille O'Neal hopes to return to the court for the defending National Basketball Association champion Miami Heat on Friday after missing his second game in a row because of a bruised left knee.

The superstar center sat out of Miami's 90-87 victory over Seattle here Tuesday with the injury, which he sustained in a 91-85 victory over the New Jersey Nets last Friday.

If "Shaq" is able to return for the next Heat game, it would be against those same Nets on Friday at New Jersey.

O'Neal, an overpowering 7-foot-1 center, also missed Sunday's 107-98 loss to visiting Philadelphia.

Thirteen-time All-Star O'Neal has averaged 14 points and seven rebounds a game in two appearances for Miami this season.

Even without "Shaq", the Heat were able to recover from a horrid start to beat the SuperSonics despite only 2-of-20 shooting in the first quarter, when Miami managed only 11 points.