NBA

Shaq can't be stopped in rout of Bulls

By TIMES WIRES
Published May 5, 2006

CHICAGO - Shaquille O'Neal took a seat near his locker, wearing a gray vest and slacks, a tie and pinstriped shirt. He looked sharp during the game, too.

O'Neal dominated, Dwyane Wade played well despite a bruised left hip and the Heat never trailed in eliminating the feisty Bulls 113-96 Thursday night.

Second-seeded Miami won the best-of-seven series 4-2 and faces third-seeded New Jersey in the Eastern semifinals. The Heat swept the Nets in the first round last season.

O'Neal had 30 points and 20 rebounds while staying out of foul trouble as Miami won its first playoff series against the Bulls.

"I knew coming into the game that I was going to my finesse game," said O'Neal, who was 13-of-24 from the field. "I wasn't really trying to use the power because I was going to go to my jump hooks, turnarounds, fadeaways."

"No one can really bang with Shaq," Wade said. "You have to create somebody. I mean this guy is the eighth wonder of the world."

Wade scored 23 points, and although he spent more time on the perimeter than usual, he was 7-of-12 from the field, including 2-of-3 on 3-pointers.

Wade injured his hip late in the first half of Game 5, when he landed awkwardly after having his layup blocked by Michael Sweetney. He was injected with a painkiller at halftime, returned midway through the third quarter and scored 15 of his game-high 28 to lead the Heat to a 92-78 victory.

Chicago's Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon scored 23 and 21 points, respectively, after shooting a combined 6-for-29 in Game 5. Andres Nocioni added 20 points.

After shooting just under 35 percent in Game 5, the Bulls missed 11 of their first 12 shots Thursday and finished 31-of-75 (41 percent). They were 10-for-30 on 3-pointers.

The Heat finished 38-of-77 from the field, including 11-of-25 on 3s.

"For a team that's supposed to hang its hat on defense, we just did a pretty poor job this series," Hinrich said.

From the start, this was a different Shaq from the one who had struggled the previous few games. "I told them, "Just give me the ball,"' he said. "They knew I wasn't going to be in foul trouble. I wanted to close these guys out."

NETS 96, PACERS 90: Despite Anthony Johnson's 40-point effort, Richard Jefferson scored 30 and Vince Carter added 24 for the visiting Nets, who won the best-of-seven series 4-2. Jason Kidd approached a triple double with eight points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.

Jermaine O'Neal scored 21 for the Pacers, who played without Peja Stojakovic for the fourth time in the series because of a sore right knee. The team's second-leading scorer in the regular season, Stojakovic played in Indiana's only two wins in the series.

Every time it looked like New Jersey might pull away, Johnson, a former Net, had an answer. He scored the first 12 of the fourth for Indiana, then Austin Croshere dunked and O'Neal followed with a basket to cut New Jersey's lead to 87-85 with 3:25 left.

Nenad Krstic scored and drew O'Neal's fifth foul with 2:30 left. Krstic converted the three-point play to bump New Jersey's lead to 90-85.

SUNS 126, LAKERS 118 (OT): Better put that Battle of L.A. on hold. Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion each scored six points in overtime, Tim Thomas made two huge 3-pointers, as Phoenix beat Los Angeles to force a Game 7 in the first-round Western Conference playoff series.

Kobe Bryant scored all but one of the Lakers' 13 points in overtime, and had 50 overall.

Game 7 will be played Saturday night in Phoenix, where the second-seeded Suns beat the Lakers 114-97 to send the series to Los Angeles. The home team has a 75-17 advantage in NBA playoff Game 7s.

The winner of the series will face the Los Angeles Clippers - co-tenants of Staples Center with the Lakers.

Steve Nash led the Suns with 32 points and 13 assists, while Leonardo Barbosa, starting for the suspended Raja Bell, scored 22 points. Thomas had 21 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, while Marion had 20 points and 12 rebounds.

PAUL HEADLINES ROOKIE TEAM: Chris Paul of New Orleans, who led all rookies with 21 double doubles, was a unanimous selection to the all-rookie team. Paul topped the first team with 58 points, followed by Toronto's Charlie Villanueva (56), Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut (55), Utah's Deron Williams (46) and New York's Channing Frye (45).

[Last modified May 5, 2006, 02:30:26]