Shaquille O’Neal had no problem with back-to-back games at the end of a road trip, scoring 29 points on Monday as the Phoenix Suns downed the Washington Wizards 103-87.
O’Neal went 10-for-14 from the field, 9-for-10 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds in 36 minutes for the Suns, who salvaged their six-game, East Coast road trip by winning the last two games to finish with three wins and three losses. O’Neal had 19 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes in Sunday’s victory over Atlanta.
Amare Stoudemire added 22 points and 15 rebounds, and Steve Nash had 14 points and 15 assists for the Suns, whose 53-38 rebounding advantage helped overcome their 17 turnovers.
PHOTO: AFP
Caron Butler scored 28 points, and Antawn Jamison had 27 for the Wizards, but they didn’t get much help as Washington lost for the 10th time in 12 games.
HEAT 95, HAWKS 79
At Miami, Dwyane Wade finished with 35 points and Miami held Atlanta without a field goal for nearly 13 1/2 minutes during one first-half stretch.
Atlanta set a franchise-futility record with its 27-point first half. Still, the Hawks got within seven points early in the final quarter before a quick 11-3 burst fueled by Wade and Mario Chalmers sealed it for Miami.
Daequan Cook scored 16 points and Chalmers added 12 points and six assists for Miami (24-19), which moved a season-best five games over .500. Udonis Haslem had a game-high 13 rebounds.
KNICKS 104, ROCKETS 98
At New York, Wilson Chandler responded to being taken out of the starting lineup with 18 points to lead New York to its first win over Houston since 2004.
Chandler’s 3-pointer with more than two minutes left gave the Knicks the lead for good at 97-96. The Knicks had lost eight straight to Houston.
Tracy McGrady led Houston with 20 points in his second game back from a left knee injury.
The Rockets were playing without center Yao Ming (sore right knee) for the second straight game.
Houston guard Rafer Alston said Houston played selfishly, resorting too often to one-on-one basketball and missed not having Yao on court.
“It changes the dynamics of the game, especially down the stretch when you could call a post-up play for Yao and if he’s double-teamed he can kick it out. We’d get better looks instead of contested jumpers,” he said.
Alston said the Rockets also lacked Yao’s defense.
“They were penetrating and no one was stepping up at the basket,” he said. “You miss him there.”
Yao, who said he hoped he would be able to play when the Rockets host the 76ers today, was disappointed he could not play on a special night for local Chinese fans.
“I wish the Chinese people in New York a happy new year,” he said.
HORNETS 101, 76ERS 86
At New Orleans, Chris Paul had 27 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds and seven steals for his fifth triple-double of the season in New Orleans’ win over Philadelphia.
Peja Stojakovic highlighted a 26-point performance with six 3-pointers for New Orleans, which was badly outscored inside but made up for it with 14 3s as a team.
TIMBERWOLVES 90, BUCKS 83
At Milwaukee, Al Jefferson had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Ryan Gomes added 22 points to lift Minnesota over Milwaukee, which was playing without Michael Redd for the first time since he sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Randy Foye and rookie Kevin Love also each added 12 points for the Timberwolves.
Ramon Sessions had 18 points replacing Redd, Charlie Villanueva added 15 and Richard Jefferson 10 for Milwaukee.
Redd, averaging a team-high 21.2 points, tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Saturday’s win against Sacramento when he landed on Ridnour’s foot.
THUNDER 94, NETS 85
At Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored nine of his 18 points in the third quarter, when Oklahoma City outscored New Jersey 31-14 on the way to a victory in front of just 5,000 fans.
Icy weather held the Ford Center well below the 18,000-plus who had attended the first 23 home games.
Russell Westbrook had 13 points and eight rebounds, and Jeff Green scored 13 for the Thunder, which led by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter before New Jersey’s reserves rallied.
TRAIL BLAZERS 113, CLIPPERS 88
At Los Angeles, Brandon Roy scored 33 points on 11-of-15 shooting to lead Portland over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Travis Outlaw scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and keyed the run that gave the Trail Blazers breathing room. Greg Oden went 7-of-7 from the floor and 2-of-4 from the line for 16 points and had six rebounds.
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