Miami Heat Team Report - January 21

(Basketball News) - The Miami Heat play the middle contest of a three-game homestand, as they welcome Jermaine O’Neal and the Indiana Pacers tonight to AmericanAirlines Arena.

On Wednesday, Shaquille O’Neal scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the Heat to a 111-92 win over the Atlanta Hawks at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Dwyane Wade returned from a two-game absence due to a back injury and scored 25 points and added seven assists, as the Heat won for just the second time in five outings.

Miami is 18-5 when it allows under 100 points this season. O’Neal and Wade have combined to lead the Heat in scoring in 36 of 40 games and the last 21 straight.

O’Neal has scored at least 25 points in a franchise record eight straight games and has recorded a double-double in each contest. He is averaging 29.8 points and 12.3 rebounds in that span.

Miami remains atop the Southeast Division, 5 1/2 games ahead of the Washington Wizards. In fact, the Heat is five games ahead of Cleveland and Detroit for the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat are 15-4 as the host this season. Miami will host the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday in the finale of the brief homestand.

This is the first of four meetings this season between Miami and Indiana. Miami is scheduled to host the Pacers once again on April 17th, while Indiana will welcome the Heat to Conseco Fieldhouse on February 23rd and March 31st.

Indiana has won nine straight and 10 of the last 13 contests in this series. The last time the Heat defeated the Pacers was at home on January 19, 2002. Indiana has won four straight and seven of its last 12 at Miami.