NBA Game Summary - Miami at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC (Basketball News) - Shaquille O’Neal scored 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out five assists in his 900th career start, as the Miami Heat defeated the struggling Charlotte Bobcats, 91-85, at Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

Udonis Haslem posted 17 points and seven rebounds and Antoine Walker scored all 15 of his points in the second half as the Heat tallied 61 second-half points after a sluggish start en route to their third win in four games.

Miami played without its starting backcourt, as Dwyane Wade and Jason Williams sat out the contest. Wade sprained his left ankle during Thursday’s loss to Phoenix while Williams missed his second straight game after needing six stitches to close a laceration on his ring finger that he got while lifting weights.

Matt Carroll led Charlotte with 20 points off the bench and Primoz Brezec recorded a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Melvin Ely contributed 15 points and eight boards, while Raymond Felton tallied 15 points and dished out a career-high 11 assists in the Bobcats’ 10th consecutive loss. The skid ties a franchise mark set from last January 7-27 and March 2-19.

Miami shot just 34.2 percent from the floor and missed all 11 of its three- point attempts in the opening 24 minutes, but posted 30 points in the third to tie the game at 60-60.

The Heat started the final stanza on a 13-0 run, with O’Neal on the bench, to put the game out of reach. Walker scored six of the first eight points capped by a layup with 8:51 remaining to put the Heat ahead 68-60. Then, Alonzo Mourning converted a hook shot and Walker’s three pushed Miami to a 73-60 lead with 6:39 left.

Charlotte’s first field goal of the period came on Felton’s driving layup with 5:50 remaining. Carroll’s jumper got the Bobcats within 78-71 with 4:14 left, but O’Neal scored inside and Gary Payton’s layup extended the advantage to 82-71 and put the game away.

The Bobcats had a 20-14 lead after one stanza and led by a dozen, 26-14, after Ely’s hook shot with 9:28 remaining in the first half. Miami responded with a 16-4 spurt to tie the game at 30-30, but trailed 35-30 at the half.