Hip sidelines O’Neal for two more weeks

Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal will miss at least the next two weeks because of recurring pain in his left hip and leg.

An MRI exam Tuesday on O’Neal’s ailing hip found acute inflammation in that joint and his quadriceps muscle. He will be treated with ice but won’t do any basketball-related activity -- with hopes that rest will cure the problem.

“He’s gotten all the treatment he can get,� said Heat Coach Pat Riley. “And now it’s probably going to be an inactive period of time until the thing heals.�

O’Neal first suffered the hip injury Dec. 22 while diving for a loose ball against Utah.

A testicular tumor removed from Denver Nuggets forward Nene last week was malignant, but the team said “the recovery rate is extremely high� because it was isolated and found early.

He won’t return before March.

Meanwhile, Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony is doubtful for tonight against Atlanta after spraining his ankle Monday at the Lakers.

New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle and is sidelined indefinitely. . . . The Atlanta Hawks suspended backup center Zaza Pachulia for tonight’s game at Denver for conduct detrimental to the team. Meanwhile, Bernie Mullin resigned as president of the Hawks and the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers, with a member of the ownership group saying he probably won’t be replaced. He had held the job since 2004. . . . Charlotte Bobcats leading scorer Gerald Wallace is questionable for tonight’s game against Dallas because of a strained left calf.