TORONTO, 16 March 2005 — Dwyane Wade scored 29 points in just 26 minutes and Shaquille O’Neal added 21 and nine rebounds as the Miami Heat crushed the Milwaukee Bucks 110-71 on Monday, stretching their unbeaten run to nine games.
The Heat, who led by as many as 40 points on way to their biggest win of the season, improved to an NBA best 49-16 while recording their 13th consecutive home victory. They have won their last eight games by an average of more than 17 points.
Michael Redd had 14 points for the slumping Bucks who have lost six of their last eight.
In San Antonio, Tim Duncan returned from a two-game injury layoff to score 18 points and snare 13 rebounds in the Spurs’ 112-89 win over the New Orleans Hornets. Even without injured guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs needed Duncan for only 26 minutes to improve to 48-15 and join the Phoenix Suns at the top of the Western Conference standings.
Slovenian rookie Beno Udrih, getting his first start in place of Parker, scored a career-best 25 points while Bruce Bowen added 18.
In Oakland, Tracy McGrady scored 20 points and Yao Ming contributed 14 points and 15 rebounds as the Houston Rockets stretched their unbeaten streak to five games with a 97-94 win over the slumping Golden State Warriors.
Juwan Howard added 18 points for the Rockets before he left the game late in the fourth quarter with a sprained knee.
In Washington, Larry Hughes and Gilbert Arenas scored 21 points each to lead the Wizards to a 95-81 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The win, however, could prove costly for the Wizards with Antawn Jamison limping off with a knee injury early in the first quarter and not returning. The victory snapped a two-game losing skid for the Wizards, giving them a sweep of the season series against the Lakers for the first time in team history.
Caron Butler paced the Lakers with 20 points and 11 rebounds while Kobe Bryant scored 18 points, making just six of 22 shots.
In Atlanta, Tayshaun Prince scored a career-high 31 points and Rasheed Wallace added a season-best 28 points sparking the champions Detroit Pistons to 114-108 overtime win against the Hawks.
Al Harrington turned in an inspired effort for Atlanta notching a season-high 37 points but it wasn’t enough to keep the last place Hawks from their 15th loss in 16 games.Pistons’ coach Larry Brown missed the game after having surgery on an injured hip on Monday.
In Charlotte, Ricky Davis had 27 points and Antoine Walker added 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists as the Boston Celtics eased past the Bobcats 119-110 for their fourth consecutive win. Pulling within 90-89 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Bobcats had looked poised for an upset before the Celtics scored 10 unanswered points to win for the eight time in nine games.
In Memphis, Mike Miller scored 27 points and Lorenzen Wright chipped in with 19 and nine rebounds to help the Grizzlies to a 104-83 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
