Shaquille returns to face New Jersey

Nenad Krstic, left, of the Nets, defends against Shaquille O'Neal of the Heat during the fourth quarter in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Thursday. Miami won 106-90. PHOTO: AP

Shaquille O'Neal returned from a three-game absence and had 20 points and 13 rebounds Thursday, and Dwyane Wade led a third-quarter surge that sent the Miami Heat past the New Jersey Nets 106-90.

Wade 27 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Heat, who ended New Jersey's three-game winning streak.

"My knee felt pretty good," O'Neal said. "I was hurting last week and [coach] Stan [Van Gundy] told me to take a couple extra days off, so I did."

The final two quarters were so lopsided that Alonzo Mourning was able to make his Heat debut during garbage time, playing the final 2:19 and grabbing two rebounds. The 11-year veteran, who left Miami as a free agent two summers ago, re-signed with the Heat earlier this week after being traded from New Jersey to Toronto and then being waived by the Raptors.

Vince Carter scored 27 points to lead the Nets.

Nuggets 96, Pacers 87

In Denver, Marcus Camby finished with 17 points, 22 rebounds, seven assists and seven blocked shots, and Carmelo Anthony had 28 points, helping Denver down Indian for its fifth straight win.

The Nuggets had 27 assists on 31 field goals and improved to 12-4 since coach George Karl took over on Jan. 27, and moved into a tie with the Los Angeles Lakers for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Denver won seven straight at home -- 6-0 under Karl -- and has its longest win streak since taking five in a row in December 2003.

Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 16 points.

Indiana All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal sprained his right shoulder on a drive to the basket in the second quarter. X-rays were negative, but O'Neal was still in pain at halftime and said the trainer had to pop his shoulder back in place.

Suns 100, Pistons 97

In Phoenix, Steve Nash returned to the Phoenix lineup with 16 points and 14 assists -- including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:06 to play -- and the Suns snapped Detroit's eight-game winning streak.

Amare Stoudemire battled the Pistons' bruising front line for 26 points and 10 rebounds. Quentin Richardson scored 20, including 5-of-8 on 3-pointers.

Rasheed Wallace led Detroit with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Ben Wallace had 18 boards. Antonio McDyess scored 14, all in the second half.

With the Suns leading 95-94 after Chauncey Billups' layup with 1:20 to go, Nash, who missed three games with a sore hamstring, made the 3-pointer to boost the lead to 98-94, and then his two free throws increased the lead to 100-94 with 37.4 seconds left.

Rasheed Wallace sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 100-97 with 30.5 seconds left, and Shawn Marion missed from 3-point range to give Detroit a chance to tie it. After a timeout with 3.2 seconds to go, Billups' 25-footer was off the front of the rim at the buzzer.

NBA Kobe Bryant and the woman who accused him of rape can now begin rebuilding their lives, but they may never shake the lingering effects of their legal battles that generated sensational headlines around the world.

A federal judge signed the order on Thursday that officially dismisses the 20-year-old woman's civil lawsuit against the Los Angeles Lakers guard. Terms were not given when attorneys announced on Wednesday that a settlement had been reached.

"They will never be who they were before this happened," said victims' advocate Krista Flannigan, a former spokeswoman for the prosecutors who charged Bryant with felony sexual assault. "It's redefining the normal and redefining their lives to accommodate what has happened."

The settlement was filed seven months ago, just before prosecutors dropped a criminal charge against Bryant because the woman did not want to go ahead with a trial.

Now married and expecting a child, the woman would someday like to return to university. She dropped out amid the furor that erupted after her allegations were made public and began moving from town to town to avoid media scrutiny.

But Flannigan said recovery will probably be difficult for the former Eagle Valley High School cheerleader who once aspired to a singing career.