NBA

Heat agitated, ambivalent; just imagine if it had lost

MIAMI - Coach Stan Van Gundy's mood was somber. A steamed Shaquille O'Neal skipped postgame interviews.

Good thing the Heat won, or the fallout might have been worse.

Dwyane Wade had 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists on Sunday, helping the Heat defeat the Rockets 104-95 on a frustrating day for Heat center O'Neal.

Wade scored 12 in the fourth quarter as Van Gundy improved to 2-1 against his brother, Rockets coach Jeff.

"On nights that he loses, you feel bad," Stan Van Gundy said. "I'd rather not have to do it, but we have to. It's not as much fun as the other times."

Foul trouble limited O'Neal to 27 minutes; he had 15 points and five rebounds but came up with a crucial three-point play in the final minute.

Houston got within 71-70 when Tracy McGrady hit a jumper with 1:38 left in the third, but Miami scored the next seven points and maintained its lead throughout the fourth quarter.

CAVALIERS 104, BUCKS 87: Drew Gooden scored a career-high 33, including 27 in the second half, to lead Cleveland, which missed LeBron James (sprained left ankle) for a second straight game. James was hurt last week against Memphis; coach Paul Silas expects to have him back for Tuesday night's game at Orlando. Host Cleveland dressed only nine, then lost shooting guard Lucious Harris for the second half with a bruised chest.

KINGS 94, TIMBERWOLVES 84: The backcourt of Cuttino Mobley and Mike Bibby combined for 34 points in the second half to lead visiting Sacramento, which won despite missing Peja Stojakovic (back spasms) and Chris Webber (sore left knee). Minnesota coach Flip Saunders used all 12 of his players, several of whom have publicly lobbied for more time. "That's all they tell everybody," he said. "You'd think when you get on the floor, you'd play and give everything you have."

SUNS 123, RAPTORS 105: Amare Stoudemire and visiting Phoenix used a record point total in the third quarter to win. Stoudemire scored 19 of his 27 points in the third, in which Phoenix outscored Toronto 46-26. Toronto was without point guard Rafer Alston, suspended two games for his conduct the previous day at practice. Also, the Suns signed guard William "Smush" Parker to a second 10-day deal.

LAKERS: Coach Rudy Tomjanovich (stomach virus) missed the game against Charlotte. Assistant Frank Hamblen, the only holdover from Phil Jackson's staff, guided the team.

PISTONS: Coach Larry Brown denied a New York Post report that he said coaching the Knicks would be a "dream" job. "My statement to (the Post reporter) was I'm not coaching anywhere else, this is my last coaching job," Brown told the Detroit Free Press .

Female coach fired after win

NASHVILLE - Ashley McElhiney, the first female coach of a men's pro basketball team, was fired Saturday night after an on-court dispute with the co-owner of the Rhythm of the ABA.

Co-owner and CEO Sally Anthony was unhappy that McElhiney was playing Matt Freije after Anthony instructed that he be benched.

The argument began in the third quarter and apparently escalated when Anthony tried to remove McElhiney as coach during the team's 110-109 win over Kansas City. Anthony was restrained by security guards and taken off the floor.

"It was something that shouldn't happen at any level of sports," forward Adam Sonn told WKRN-TV. "It's something that's sad to see."

Anthony said Freije, Vanderbilt's all-time leading scorer, was paid $10,000 for two games with the Rhythm. Assistant Scott Flatt said in a statement the team still considers McElhiney its coach.

[Last modified January 31, 2005, 00:38:15]