Shaquille O'Neal broke his weeklong silence with the media on Tuesday. Then the Heat center attempted to shatter any notion that pride prevents him from accepting responsibility for his on-court struggles this season.

O'Neal said he is having a ''terrible'' season and needs to do more to help the Heat overcome a slow start that has left the team in last place in the Eastern Conference for two weeks.

The Heat (7-17) plays at Atlanta (12-12) on Wednesday, looking to win back-to-back games for just the second time this season. It has been that rough of a stretch for the Heat, which needed a fourth-quarter comeback at home Monday night to beat a Timberwolves' team that owns the worst record in the league.

And it has been that difficult of a start for O'Neal, 35, who is in the midst of his least productive season, averaging just 14.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in 27.8 minutes. He has averaged 25.7 points and 11.5 rebounds over his 16-year career.

"It's terrible," O'Neal said Tuesday when asked to evaluate his play. "When you win, it's easier to accept. You can't say nothing. I have to adjust. We still have to adjust. Hopefully, it doesn't take a full season of failing for us to adjust."