Sports

NBA

Balanced Heat attack tops Bucks

Associated Press
Published April 5, 2006

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MIAMI - Shaquille O'Neal had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead a balanced Miami effort Tuesday, crushing Milwaukee 115-89.

The Heat never trailed and had six players in double figures, including all five starters. Udonis Haslem scored 16 points and Dwyane Wade had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Miami, which won for only the fourth time in its last eight games.

Charlie Bell had 20 of his season-high 29 points in the first half for Milwaukee.

NETS 96, HAWKS 94: Host New Jersey won its 13th straight game, holding off Atlanta on a night when it also clinched its fourth Atlantic Division title in the past five years. Vince Carter scored 27 points for the Nets, who tied Dallas for the longest winning streak in the NBA this season and moved to within one of the franchise record set in 2003-2004.

BULLS 102, PACERS 96: Ben Gordon scored 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, and surging Chicago moved closer to a playoff spot, rallying from a 17-point deficit to beat struggling Indiana. The host Bulls moved to within a half-game of Philadelphia for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and 11/2 games of the seventh-place Pacers. Chicago visits the 76ers today and hosts them on Saturday.

CAVS 124, 76ERS 91: LeBron James scored 37 points to lead host Cleveland to its ninth straight win. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas sprained his left ankle in the first quarter and did not return. Cleveland guard Larry Hughes played for the first time since Dec. 31. Allen Iverson scored 38 points to lead Philadelphia.

CELTICS 124, RAPTORS 120: Paul Pierce and Wally Szczerbiak scored 22 points apiece for visiting Boston. Morris Peterson had 32 points and eight rebounds to lead Toronto, which lost its fifth straight game.

WIZARDS 105, KNICKS 90: Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler scored 18 points apiece to lead six players in double figures for the host Washington, which shot 49 percent and capitalized on New York's season-high 28 turnovers.

PISTONS 101, HORNETS 93: Antonio McDyess had a season-high 26 points and added 14 rebounds to help host Detroit win its 60th game. The Pistons have won five straight, and need four wins in their final eight games to break the 1988-89 team's franchise record of 63 wins. Rasheed Wallace missed the game after picking up an automatic one-game suspension for receiving 16 technical fouls. While McDyess took most of his minutes, it was Dale Davis who started, ending Detroit's NBA-record streak at 73 straight games with the same lineup.

BOBCATS 97, T'WOLVES 92: Primoz Brezec muscled in a layup with 54 seconds to play, then added a pair of free throws to pace host Charlotte. It was the 12th-straight road loss for the Timberwolves, tying a mark for futility set 12 years ago. Minnesota had not lost 12 in a row on the road since March 26-Nov. 8, 1994.

GRIZZLIES 100, WARRIORS 75: Chucky Atkins scored 22 points and Pau Gasol finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists for host Memphis. Jake Tsakalidis added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies.

MAVERICKS 127, KINGS 101: Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points, Josh Howard had 23 and Josh Powell dazzled during a game-breaking stretch of the second quarter, helping host Dallas shatter Sacramento's nearly monthlong run of strong defense. Sacramento, trying to hold onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, hadn't allowed more than 98 points its past 13 games - but gave up 63 in the first half.

SPURS 95, JAZZ 86: Manu Ginobili scored eight of his 26 points in the fourth quarter and visiting San Antonio held off Utah to maintain its 21/2-game lead for the top seed in the Western Conference.

[Last modified April 5, 2006, 00:38:13]

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