Tim Brown of the Los Angeles Times reports: It looks like the highly anticipated Shaq vs. Yao two is not going to take place tonight when the Lakers host the Rockets tonight at Staples Center.

On whether or not he will play tonight, Lakers Center Shaquille O"Neal said "probably not".

O"Neal will likely be out due to a sore left knee. Though he said his medial collateral ligament was swollen. The club would not confirm that and, indeed, made it clear that no tests had been ordered. O'Neal also has some concerns with his surgically repaired toe and, in a new development, his shoulder, but those are less bothersome.

I tried to suck it up and be out there with the guys, but when [San Antonio Spur center] Kevin Willis was dusting my ... up the court the other day, then I knew something was wrong," he said. "[My knee] has always bothered me. But, the other day, I thought, 'He's 40 years old and he's killing me up the court.' I only get five rebounds. I'm slow to the ball. I just looked bad. Real bad."

Even if the Lakers are better with him at less than full strength than not at all, O'Neal said, "That's not acceptable to me, because I look bad, we look bad, you guys write bad. I want to win the whole thing and not just go out and win games. I want to get right before I come back.

"I'm very frustrated because it's not supposed to be happening. Usually knick-knack injuries go away when I play through them, but it hasn't gone away. It's gotten worse."

Tonight's game is extremely important because the Lakers currently are one game behind the Houston Rockets for the West's 8th and final playoff spot and with only 31 games to go, the 3-time defending champs are in danger of missing the playoffs.