Heat Outgun Lakers 102-89 for Season Sweep

MIAMI – Kobe Bryant missed his first nine shots of the second half, and Dwyane Wade and Keyon Dooling keyed a big fourth quarter that gave the Miami Heat a 102-89 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night – and let Shaquille O’Neal enjoy a season sweep of his former team.

Wade had 27 points, O’Neal had 25 points and 12 rebounds and Dooling scored a season-high 17 for Miami (51-16), which won its 11th straight game overall and single-season record 14th straight at home.

The Heat is nine games ahead of Detroit in the Eastern Conference race, 13 1/2 games ahead of Washington in the Southeast Division with 15 regular-season games remaining and within percentage points of San Antonio (49-15) for the league’s best record.

“We just look at this game as another game,” O’Neal said. “We wanted to stay focused and our guys did a beautiful job of not letting anything enter into the locker room that would break our focus.”

Something Bryant said just before halftime actually raised Wade’s level of focus.

Bryant, according to Wade, told Miami’s second-year guard “Stop crying” as the teams were preparing to leave the court following a first half in which Wade was often agitated over non-calls.

“I don’t want to say what I said,” Wade said. “I told him that I wasn’t talking to him, for one. And for two, I pretty much told him a lot of stuff. I don’t want to get into it.”

His play did the talking. Wade added eight rebounds and five assists, then he pumped his fist in exultation as the final seconds wore down.

In the only other NBA games Thursday night, Dallas beat Portland 98-94 and Golden State held off Sacramento 100-97.

Bryant had 21 points in the first half, then finished with 26 on 8-for-23 shooting. Chucky Atkins had 23 for the Lakers, who dropped their third straight and fell 1 1/2 games behind Denver for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“I think we’re at our best when the odds are against us,” Bryant said.

Dooling and Wade each had eight points in the fourth quarter for Miami, which outscored the Lakers 33-22 in the final 12 minutes – even though the Lakers connected on six 3-pointers in the final 10:03.

“We played well for 36 minutes tonight,” Lakers coach Frank Hamblen said. “Unfortunately, the game is 48.”

Eddie Jones had 12 points and Damon Jones scored 11 for Miami.

Lamar Odom had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, while Caron Butler and Brian Cook each added 10 points.

It was the Lakers’ first visit to Miami since last summer’s trade sending O’Neal to the Heat for Butler, Odom and Brian Grant – all key players in last season’s run to the East semifinals. There was plenty of hype, although it paled to the mania surrounding the Heat’s 104-102 Christmas win in Los Angeles.

And the crowd’s reaction, both to Bryant and the former Heat trio, went as expected.

There was a quick, loud chorus of booing when Bryant was introduced as a starter, and more catcalls and chants followed virtually every time he touched the basketball. He and O’Neal barely acknowledged each other before tip-off but extended hands halfheartedly in the center circle.

“I didn’t say anything,” O’Neal said. “Got nothing to say. I’m a married man; I don’t need a relationship with another man.”

Said Bryant: “You guys worry about that more than we do.”

Nothing but long cheers rained down from the sellout crowd when Odom and Butler were announced. And when Grant checked into the game midway through the quarter, Eddie Jones was the first player from either side to greet him, giving a quick hug.

There were plenty more embraces at the final buzzer, including one where Bryant wrapped his arms around Wade. But by then, only one team was smiling.

“We’re human beings,” Odom said. “Sometimes the ball goes in. Sometimes it doesn’t.”

Mavericks 98, Trail Blazers 94

At Dallas, Josh Howard scored 10 of Dallas’ last 20 points, including a critical 3-pointer to break a 90-90 tie with 1:59 left.

Howard finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Michael Finley added 17 points. Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Damon Stoudamire had 20 points each for the Trail Blazers, who’ve lost three in a row and nine of 10.

Warriors 100, Kings 97

At Oakland, Calif., Jason Richardson hit a long jumper with 27.1 seconds left and finished with 40 points for Golden State.

After Richardson’s basket, the Kings missed four shots, including 3-point attempts by Mike Bibby and Peja Stojakovic just before the final buzzer.

Cuttino Mobley had 28 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento.