"He isn't necessarily the O'Neal everyone's worrying about, but Jermaine O'Neal is the one that the Celtics will likely go with to start the postseason.

It's barely been two weeks since O'Neal returned after missing more than two months recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. While he was gone, the Celtics traded starting center Kendrick Perkins to Oklahoma City, essentially betting that either Jermaine or Shaquille O'Neal would be healthy by the postseason.

Jermaine O'Neal played seven of the Celtics' last nine games leading up to the playoffs. Shaquille O'Neal is still a question mark for Game 1 tomorrow. Whether he's available or not, Jermaine O'Neal said his approach won't waver.

"My thought process has never changed, whether it was before the trade or after the trade or with Shaq's injury,'' Jermaine O'Neal said. "My position stayed the same: Step in and do my job. Just being healthy and playing well.''

Playing 37 minutes in Washington Monday gave him a chance to test his knee and his wind. He scored 15 points (on 6-of-15 shooting) and grabbed 13 rebounds with five blocks.

Getting that much floor time was a gift after averaging just 18 minutes this season, his lowest clip since playing just 12.3 minutes a night in Portland in the 1999-2000 season."