EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- As expected, the three-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers placed center Shaquille O'Neal and forward Mark Madsen on the injured list Monday.

O'Neal, recovering from surgery on his arthritic right big toe, and Madsen, who has a strained left hamstring, must miss a minimum of five games.

It's likely O'Neal, the MVP of the last three NBA Finals, will miss more than five games. He's eligible to make his season debut Nov. 7 at Boston, and the Lakers play at Washington the following night before returning home to play Atlanta on Nov. 12 and Golden State on Nov. 15.

The Lakers will open the season Tuesday night against San Antonio with an active roster of Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Devean George, Robert Horry, Slava Medvedenko, Tracy Murray, rookies Jannero Pargo and Kareem Rush, Soumaila Samake, Brian Shaw and Samaki Walker.

They'll only have 11 players in uniform since Fox was suspended for six games Monday for his role in a bench-clearing brawl during an exhibition game Friday night against Sacramento. Kings guard Doug Christie was suspended for two games.

The Lakers will be presented their championship rings before facing the Spurs.