BASKETBALL

PACERS’ O’NEAL LIKELY DONE FOR SEASON

Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal likely will not play again this season because of a shoulder injury he sustained nearly two weeks ago. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said that doctors are still waiting for the swelling to subside and that no decision has been made on whether the All-Star forward will need surgery.

O’Neal, who is averaging a career-high 24.8 points, was hurt March 3 when his right arm was pulled back by Denver’s Francisco Elson on a drive to the basket. The Pacers are 22-19 with O’Neal in the lineup this season, and 9-12 without him.

FOOTBALL

GIANTS TO OPEN PRESEASON IN CLEVELAND

The Giants will open their preseason schedule with a game in Cleveland against the Browns, who are now coached by former Giants assistant Romeo Crennel. New York will also play exhibition games against Carolina and the Jets, before ending their preseason in New England with a game against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions.

Specific dates and game times will be announced later. The first preseason game will be played between August 11 and 15. The preseason will end with games on September 1-2. The Giants and Jets will face each other for the 37th consecutive preseason. The Jets lead the series, 19-16-1.

NFL TO CONSIDER EXPANDING INSTANT REPLAY

The NFL is considering expanding instant replay to cover “down by contact” plays that previously were not included in reviews.

Atlanta general manager Rich McKay, chairman of the league’s competition committee, said yesterday the change will be considered next week in Maui at the annual league meetings. In the past, replay has not applied to plays ruled dead because an official has blown a whistle calling the runner down.

“What we’re considering would allow for a recovery if replay shows the ball came out before the play was down – even if the whistle has blown,” he said.

COLTS’ JAMES SIGNS FRANCHISE OFFER

Two-time NFL rushing champion Edgerrin James signed a one-year franchise offer with the Colts yesterday that will pay him a little more than $8 million this year. But that won’t slow James’s efforts to get a long-term deal or seek a trade.

“We think by making the move, it will help facilitate either a long-term deal or enhance our chances of working out a trade,” said Drew Rosenhaus, James’s agent. “We’ve always stated we are not interested in playing out a one year deal.”

The move comes one week after team president Bill Polian told Rosenhaus that the Colts could not afford to sign James to a long-term contract. James, 26, is coming off his best season since tearing a ligament in his left knee in October 2001. He rushed for 1,548 yards and nine touchdowns, and caught 51 passes for 483 yards.

PACE SIGNS LONG-TERM DEAL WITH RAMS

For the first time in four seasons, Orlando Pace will be playing with more than a one-year contract. The St. Louis Rams and the six time Pro Bowl offensive tackle beat a looming deadline yesterday, agreeing on a seven-year, $52.9 million deal.

The Rams had faced a 3 p.m. deadline to re-sign Pace, who visited the Houston Texans on Monday and Tuesday to discuss a possible deal. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackle has played his entire career in with the Rams, who selected him first overall in the 1997 draft.

BENGALS RE-SIGN RB JOHNSON

The Cincinnati Bengals signed running back Rudi Johnson to a five-year contract yesterday, a year after he set the team’s single-season record for rushing yardage. Johnson’s agent, Peter Schaffer, said the deal was worth close to published reports of $26 million, with $12 million guaranteed.

Johnson’s rushing total in 2004 broke the Bengals’ record of 1,435 yards set by Corey Dillon in 2000. He tied the team record for 100-yard rushing games in a season with five and led the Bengals in touchdowns with 12.

VIKINGS ADD JOHNSON AS BACKUP QB

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms with Brad Johnson yesterday, bringing the quarterback back to the place where he began his career 13 years ago. Johnson will get a four-year contract worth $6 million with a $1.2 million signing bonus, his agent Philip Williams said.

Johnson was the Vikings’ starter in the mid-90s before signing with Washington. He joined Tampa Bay in 2001 and helped lead the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title following the 2002 season. But he lost 10 of his last 13 starts with the Buccaneers, including his last six.

DOLPHINS PICK UP SAFET Y JONES

The Miami Dolphins signed free agent Tebucky Jones to a two-year contract yesterday as the team continues rebuilding at safety.

Jones, who was cut Tuesday by New Orleans, started all 16 games at free safety for the Saints last season and led the team with a career-high 110 tackles. He spent two years with the Saints after five years and one Super Bowl win with New England.

BASEBALL

BONDS COULD MISS START OF SEASON

Barry Bonds returned to the Bay area yesterday to have his surgically repaired right knee evaluated by the doctor who performed the operation, according to a report by ESPN.com. Bonds has yet to appear in a spring training game and no timetable has been set.

“[Trainer] Stan Conte said the other day that I might be three to four weeks away from full strength. If you’re talking about a 21-year-old, probably. At my age, it’s not that easy right now,” Bonds said.

SCHILLING DOUBTFUL FOR OPENING DAY

Curt Schilling doesn’t expect to start on opening day after he threw yesterday to Red Sox batters in a simulated game.

He threw 63 pitches before Boston’s game against St. Louis and said he made progress. But time is running out since the Red Sox have just two weeks left in the exhibition season and he hasn’t pitched in a game.

General Manager Theo Epstein said it would be a surprise if Schilling pitched the opener on April 3 against the Yankees in New York. Manager Terry Francona didn’t think it was realistic that he’d pitch, either.

Schilling, who underwent surgery last November after pitching in the World Series on a temporarily repaired ankle, said the ankle is not bothering him and he expects his next activity to be in a game.

– Associated Press