Heat Coach Pat Riley applauded the leadership Dwyane Wade showed when he recently said Shaquille O'Neal needs to be more motivated.

But Riley said such comments should be kept ''in-house'' when one player challenges another to step up his level of play.

''We can't walk around on eggshells when we're playing this way,'' Riley said before Friday's game against the Celtics.

``If somebody's not getting it done, I can't be the only voice to always reprimand. I think it's time everybody holds each other accountable but not publicly.''

Riley was responding to comments Wade made after Thursday's practice when he was asked about O'Neal's struggles early this season.