Shaq powers Heat past Pacers

O’Neal, who came into the game shooting 46.1 percent from the charity stripe, hit 11-of-14 free throws to help the Heat to their seventh win in nine games. Dwyane Wade added 22 points and eight rebounds, while Jason Williams scored 18 for Miami, which outrebounded the Pacers, 53-32, and beat Indiana for just the second time in the last 16 meetings.

Stephen Jackson had 22 points and Peja Stojakovic scored 19 for the Pacers, who lost for the fourth time in six contests.

The game turned ugly with 5:25 left in the second quarter when Udonis Haslem and Jermaine O’Neal got involved in a pushing and shouting match. This came after Haslem rebounded a missed jumper from Indiana’s Danny Granger.

Shaquille O’Neal innocently put his left hand around Jermaine O’Neal’s neck. After the officials consulted, Haslem was whistled for an offensive foul, but the Miami forward was incensed at the call and was ejected after arguing with Ron Garretson. Haslem took off his shirt and threw it on the court in disgust as he headed to the locker room.

A total of five technical fouls were called on the Heat, while Indiana had one.

A layup from Anthony Johnson pushed Indiana’s lead to 79-75 with 8:06 left in the game, but the Heat rallied behind eight straight points. Shandon Anderson’s three-point play capped the spurt with 6:30 remaining.

Jermaine O’Neal’s jumper tied the game again at 83, but Wade’s three-point play and a Wayne Simien layup moved Miami to an 88-83 advantage, a lead the Heat wouldn’t relinquish.

The exclamation point came when Shaq pounded down a two-handed jam on an alley-oop off a pass from Wade to make the score 94-87 with 1:23 left.

The Pacers led 39-37 and widened the margin to 53-42 at the half. Indiana’s advantage grew to 56-42, 52 seconds into the third quarter following a Stojakovic free throw after a technical foul. It was 58-44 following a Jermaine O’Neal layup, but the Heat outscored Indiana, 27-13 the rest of the period.

Shaq’s turnaround jumper in the final minute of the period tied the game at 71 going into the fourth.

Game Notes

The Pacers have been held under 100 points in 16 straight games...Shaq became the 25th player to get 11,000 rebounds for a career...The Heat have won 16 of their last 17 games versus the Eastern Conference, losing only to Detroit in that stretch...Jamaal Tinsley had 10 points for Indiana...Antoine Walker scored 11 for Miami.