NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Miami

Miami, FL (Basketball News) - Shaquille O’Neal collected 17 points and 11 rebounds in his return to the lineup, providing a significant spark to lead the Miami Heat over the New Jersey Nets, 116-98, in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series Sunday.

O’Neal played 32 minutes and was 7-of-13 from the field in his first action since bruising his right thigh during a win last Sunday against Indiana.

Miami still managed wins in its final two regular season games without O’Neal — mostly because of the solid play of guard Dwyane Wade, who scored 32 points to lead all players in this one.

Damon Jones added 30 points in the win, hitting seven three-pointers and 10 of his 12 shots overall. The guard combo of Jones and Wade combined to go 22- of-30 from the field, and Miami shot a scorching 59 percent as a team.

The top-seeded Heat, who posted an Eastern Conference- and franchise-high 59 wins in the regular season, will be looking for a 2-0 lead when the series resumes Tuesday.

Vince Carter had 27 points and 10 rebounds to lead the eighth-seeded Nets, who needed 16 wins in their final 20 games to secure a playoff position on the final day of the regular season.

New Jersey had Richard Jefferson back in the lineup for the first time since the forward ruptured a ligament in his left wrist on January 8.

Jefferson had nine points in 12 minutes off the bench, but his return — though significant for the Nets — was dwarfed in importance by that of the 7- foot-1 center playing for the other team.