NBA Game Summary - New York at Miami

03.19.2005

Miami, FL (Basketball News) - Shaquille O’Neal collected 33 points and 17 rebounds and Dwyane Wade scored 30, leading the Miami Heat to a 97-82 victory over the New York Knicks.

Eddie Jones added 13 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Heat, who extended their winning streak to 12 games — two short of the franchise record 14-game win streak they rattled off in December and January.

The Heat did establish one new record on the night by winning their 15th straight home game. They are now 30-5 at AmericanAirlines Arena this season.

O’Neal and Wade became the first Heat players to both score 30 points or more in a game since Glen Rice and Khalid Reeves did it on April 21, 1995.

"I don’t think anyone has the personnel to contain those two guys," said Knicks head coach Herb Williams. "When they are rolling, nobody in this league can stop them."

Stephon Marbury scored 23 points and Jamal Crawford had 20 for the Knicks, who have lost three of four.

Miami trailed by as many as nine points early in the first quarter, but used a 10-0 run to get back into the game and ended the period with a 25-21 advantage.

The Heat then took control of the game with a 12-0 run that extended a six- point lead to 18 points. O’Neal scored six straight points to end the surge, which gave Miami a 45-27 cushion with 3 1/2 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

O’Neal collected 19 points and nine rebounds in the first half, and Miami shot 47 percent for a 51-34 lead at the break.

"He (O’Neal) is next to impossible to stop," Williams said.

The Knicks were as close as seven points twice in the third quarter, the last time coming when Marbury’s free throw made it 65-58 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the period.

But the Heat scored 10 of the next 15 points to take a 75-63 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the lead was never smaller than nine points after that.

Miami, which has already clinched a playoff spot, shot 46 percent for the game. New York shot just 39 percent.

The Heat swept the season series (4-0) against the Knicks for the first time ever.

Miami forward Christian Laettner left the game in the second quarter with plantar fasciitis and didn’t return...Alonzo Mourning played five minutes for Miami and collected two points and two blocks...Malik Rose scored 11 for the Knicks, and Mike Sweetney had 10 points...Udonis Haslem pulled down 16 rebounds for the Heat.

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