NBA

Heat trounces Hornets

MIAMI - Even the Heat's most lopsided win of the season wasn't enough to impress Shaquille O'Neal.

Dwyane Wade had 18 points and seven assists, and the Heat built a 25-point first-quarter lead on the way to an easy 97-68 victory over New Orleans on Sunday night.

"This really isn't a game we really should be proud of," O'Neal said. "This game is liking taking your kids to the zoo. ... You're supposed to take your kids to the zoo. You're a father. So a team like that, we're supposed to beat them like this."

New Orleans hit its first two shots, taking a 5-2 lead before the onslaught began. Miami, which made its first seven shots, scored 14 straight to open what became a 29-4 run over a nine-minute stretch.

"We knew they were going to come after us," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "We prepared our guys and told them what they were going to do. We just didn't react very well to them."

By the third quarter, Miami's lead hit 40.

"We came out and played well early," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They struggled early, and that was it."

Miami's 56-25 halftime lead matched the franchise's largest after two quarters. It was also the lowest-scoring first half in the Hornets' history.

BUCKS 101, KNICKS 96: Desmond Mason scored 22 to lead six Milwaukee players in double figures, spoiling the debut of Knicks coach Herb Williams, who immediately put his imprint on the team. He gave rookie Trevor Ariza the first start of his career, used several different lineup combinations and played some zone defense. But it wasn't enough to stop Milwaukee from earning its fifth road win of the season.

MAVERICKS 95, NUGGETS 93: Dirk Nowitzki had 35 points and 11 rebounds for host Dallas, but he was 8 of 13 from the line, stunning for someone who came in having made 43 in a row. "You miss one, then you miss two, then you start thinking about it a little bit and the basket looks a little smaller," said Nowitzki, whose streak hit 46, three shy of the team record. "Now all I can do is start over." Nuggets center Marcus Camby sprained his left ankle and had to be helped from the court in the first quarter.

RAPTORS 103, BOBCATS 92: Jalen Rose hates being a reserve, but he sure looks good in the role, scoring 22 against visiting Charlotte. He is shooting 50.5 percent since he started coming off the bench 15 games ago. He shot 42 percent as a starter. "Jalen is always going to talk about starting. I understand that," coach Sam Mitchell said. "But the firepower he gives us coming off the bench is just something we need."

SUNS 113, NETS 105: Amare Stoudemire scored 33 and Steve Nash had a season-high 30 as host Phoenix snapped a six-game losing streak. Nash, playing his second game after missing three because of thigh and back injuries, made 5 of 6 from 3-point range and had nine assists.

SPURS 107, KINGS 73: San Antonio snapped the Kings' six-game winning streak and handed them their worst home loss in more than seven years. Sacramento finished with season lows in points, 3-pointers and assists.

SONICS 122, JAZZ 105: Rashard Lewis scored 36 and Antonio Daniels added 24 and eight assists, leading host Seattle. Ray Allen added 20 points for Seattle, which shot 59 percent from the floor to snap a two-game losing skid.

LeBron's numbers up

As the Cavaliers left the court after a 105-87 win over Golden State on Saturday, one fan shouted above the rest: "Every night! That's how 'Bron does it every night!"

He had just witnessed LeBron James' second triple double in three games - 28 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists - to cap his sparkling six-game road trip.

Even James can't deny his game is uniquely suited to this particular statistical feat.

"It's hard to average a triple double, but I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing, and I'll come close to it," James said. "It's not a goal of mine ... but I'll keep trying to play well."

[Last modified January 24, 2005, 01:31:19]