Heat center Shaquille O'Neal has taken cortisone shots to ease pain in his surgically repaired left knee.

But he has no plans to take himself out other lineup to rest the nagging injuries that have limited his play.

O'Neal has played with stiffness in the knee and a bruised left thigh he sustained in the preseason. He started Saturday against the Nets but was curiously replaced by Alonzo Mourning 58 seconds into the game. O'Neal returned two minutes later.

"He is experiencing some discomfort," Coach Pat Riley said. "Cortisone treatment is a part of a player's season. Every time he feels a little aggravation there, he'll take a shot. Until we see something visibly there, he'll fight through it."

O'Neal, who had the knee surgery in November 2006, said he would work through the stiffness in his knee.

"I'm going to battle it," said O'Neal, who has missed 60 games because of injuries over the past two seasons. "It's getting better."