W-OLF
04-12-2006, 01:15 PM
AP) - Antoine Walker took care of Dwyane Wade's scoring. The passing was replaced by ... Shaquille O'Neal? O'Neal was the Big Distributor on Tuesday night, handing out 10 assists for his second career triple-double and helping the Miami Heat move closer to locking up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
O'Neal had 15 points and 11 rebounds, but his passing was perhaps the biggest key for the Heat, who beat the Toronto Raptors 106-97 despite playing without their leading playmaker.
"He has a willingness to do that," said Derek Anderson, who had 17 points for Miami. "That's what people don't understand. A lot of guys in this league don't share the ball, regardless of what happens. And when he's willing to do that, he gives us confidence to make plays and make shots. That's what you need to win games."
One of the biggest beneficiaries was Walker, who busted out of a slump with a season-high 32 points. The Heat needed the extra scoring to replace the 27.5 points per game of Wade, who was home with a flulike virus.
"I knew with Dwyane out, I was going to have to be more aggressive," Walker said. "The last couple games, I hadn't been looking for my shot. I'd been kind of passive. So I wanted to come out and be a little more aggressive and take some of the pressure off Shaq, and he did a terrific job finding guys."
In other games, it was: Memphis 92, Minnesota 76; Chicago 104, New Jersey 101; San Antonio 104, Seattle 95; Phoenix 123, Sacramento 110; and the Los Angeles Lakers 111, Golden State 100.
Miami increased its lead for second place in the East to 3 1/2 games over the New Jersey Nets, who lost at Chicago.
The Raptors double-teamed O'Neal nearly every time he touched the ball, so the Heat center settled for finding open teammates.
He set up Walker for two layups and a dunk, found Udonis Haslem for two layups, set up Shandon Anderson twice for scores, Gary Payton once for a jumper and connected with Derek Anderson twice for first-half 3-pointers that stopped a Raptors rally.
"I've been a very unselfish player," O'Neal said. "I knew they were going to double, so I just wanted to keep my guys involved. I learned a long time ago that if I can keep my other guys involved, it'll be an easier game for me. I just kept making the good pass and my teammates were making me look good."
O'Neal's only other triple-double was Nov. 20, 1993 - when he scored 24 points, grabbed 28 rebounds and blocked 15 shots for the Orlando Magic in a win over the Nets.
Mike James scored 32 points, his fourth straight game cracking the 30-point mark, but Toronto dropped its ninth straight. Morris Peterson added 23 for the Raptors, who were impressed by O'Neal the playmaker.
"You double him, and he shows what he can do passing-wise," Peterson said. "That's why he's a Hall of Famer. He's a guy who gets the job done. He picked us apart."
Bulls 104, Nets 101
At Chicago, Ben Gordon scored 21 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Bulls into a tie with Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
Vince Carter scored 43 points - his fifth game with 40 or more this season - for a Nets team (47-30) that had won 15 of 16 and is trying to reach the 50-win mark for the second time in its NBA history. The 2001-02 team won 52.
Lakers 111, Warriors 100
At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Lamar Odom had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Lakers sent the Warriors to their season-high ninth straight loss.
Odom's triple-double was his first with the Lakers and ninth of his career. His rebounds were a season high. Smush Parker added 18 points and Kwame Brown had 15 points and 15 rebounds.
The Lakers (42-37) moved a game ahead of Sacramento for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs after the Kings lost 123-110 to Phoenix.
Suns 123, Kings 110
At Sacramento, Calif., Raja Bell scored 25 points, Shawn Marion added 23, and Phoenix roared back from a 17-point halftime deficit by scoring 72 points in the second half.
Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and Brad Miller scored 23 points apiece for the Kings.
Spurs 104, SuperSonics 95
At San Antonio, Tony Parker had 27 points and nine assists, and the Spurs increased their lead in the Western Conference to one game over Dallas.
San Antonio (60-18) recorded a 60-win season for the third time in franchise history, the last coming when the Spurs won the NBA title in the 2002-03 season.
Seattle (33-44) had its season-best four-game winning streak snapped.
Grizzlies 92, Timberwolves 76
At Memphis, Tenn., Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Chucky Atkins added 17 points, and the Grizzlies won for the fourth time in five games.
Memphis moved a half-game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Clippers for the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Minnesota was without leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Garnett, who has knee tendinitis. Justin Reed led the Timberwolves with 14 points on 7-of-11 from the field.
credit BellSouth
O'Neal had 15 points and 11 rebounds, but his passing was perhaps the biggest key for the Heat, who beat the Toronto Raptors 106-97 despite playing without their leading playmaker.
"He has a willingness to do that," said Derek Anderson, who had 17 points for Miami. "That's what people don't understand. A lot of guys in this league don't share the ball, regardless of what happens. And when he's willing to do that, he gives us confidence to make plays and make shots. That's what you need to win games."
One of the biggest beneficiaries was Walker, who busted out of a slump with a season-high 32 points. The Heat needed the extra scoring to replace the 27.5 points per game of Wade, who was home with a flulike virus.
"I knew with Dwyane out, I was going to have to be more aggressive," Walker said. "The last couple games, I hadn't been looking for my shot. I'd been kind of passive. So I wanted to come out and be a little more aggressive and take some of the pressure off Shaq, and he did a terrific job finding guys."
In other games, it was: Memphis 92, Minnesota 76; Chicago 104, New Jersey 101; San Antonio 104, Seattle 95; Phoenix 123, Sacramento 110; and the Los Angeles Lakers 111, Golden State 100.
Miami increased its lead for second place in the East to 3 1/2 games over the New Jersey Nets, who lost at Chicago.
The Raptors double-teamed O'Neal nearly every time he touched the ball, so the Heat center settled for finding open teammates.
He set up Walker for two layups and a dunk, found Udonis Haslem for two layups, set up Shandon Anderson twice for scores, Gary Payton once for a jumper and connected with Derek Anderson twice for first-half 3-pointers that stopped a Raptors rally.
"I've been a very unselfish player," O'Neal said. "I knew they were going to double, so I just wanted to keep my guys involved. I learned a long time ago that if I can keep my other guys involved, it'll be an easier game for me. I just kept making the good pass and my teammates were making me look good."
O'Neal's only other triple-double was Nov. 20, 1993 - when he scored 24 points, grabbed 28 rebounds and blocked 15 shots for the Orlando Magic in a win over the Nets.
Mike James scored 32 points, his fourth straight game cracking the 30-point mark, but Toronto dropped its ninth straight. Morris Peterson added 23 for the Raptors, who were impressed by O'Neal the playmaker.
"You double him, and he shows what he can do passing-wise," Peterson said. "That's why he's a Hall of Famer. He's a guy who gets the job done. He picked us apart."
Bulls 104, Nets 101
At Chicago, Ben Gordon scored 21 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Bulls into a tie with Philadelphia for the Eastern Conference's final playoff spot.
Vince Carter scored 43 points - his fifth game with 40 or more this season - for a Nets team (47-30) that had won 15 of 16 and is trying to reach the 50-win mark for the second time in its NBA history. The 2001-02 team won 52.
Lakers 111, Warriors 100
At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Lamar Odom had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Lakers sent the Warriors to their season-high ninth straight loss.
Odom's triple-double was his first with the Lakers and ninth of his career. His rebounds were a season high. Smush Parker added 18 points and Kwame Brown had 15 points and 15 rebounds.
The Lakers (42-37) moved a game ahead of Sacramento for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs after the Kings lost 123-110 to Phoenix.
Suns 123, Kings 110
At Sacramento, Calif., Raja Bell scored 25 points, Shawn Marion added 23, and Phoenix roared back from a 17-point halftime deficit by scoring 72 points in the second half.
Mike Bibby, Ron Artest and Brad Miller scored 23 points apiece for the Kings.
Spurs 104, SuperSonics 95
At San Antonio, Tony Parker had 27 points and nine assists, and the Spurs increased their lead in the Western Conference to one game over Dallas.
San Antonio (60-18) recorded a 60-win season for the third time in franchise history, the last coming when the Spurs won the NBA title in the 2002-03 season.
Seattle (33-44) had its season-best four-game winning streak snapped.
Grizzlies 92, Timberwolves 76
At Memphis, Tenn., Pau Gasol had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Chucky Atkins added 17 points, and the Grizzlies won for the fourth time in five games.
Memphis moved a half-game ahead of the idle Los Angeles Clippers for the fifth playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Minnesota was without leading scorer and rebounder Kevin Garnett, who has knee tendinitis. Justin Reed led the Timberwolves with 14 points on 7-of-11 from the field.
credit BellSouth