LOS ANGELES, 6 November 2004 — Superstar Shaquille O’Neal was the headliner but Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade stole the show for the second time in as many nights.
Wade scored 28 points and O’Neal added 17 points and nine rebounds in his home debut as the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-86 Thursday night before a record sellout crowd of 20,235 fans at American Airlines Arena.
“That’s one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by a second year player,” said O’Neal of Wade.
Those are pretty strong words from O’Neal, who played alongside superstar Kobe Bryant for eight seasons before being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers in the off-season for Caron Butler, Brian Grant and Lamar Odom.
With O’Neal’s minutes limited by a nagging left hamstring strain, Wade has starred in the first two games. He scored a game-high 21 points on Wednesday night as the Heat ripped the New Jersey Nets 100-77 in its season-opener.
“He’s a great player,” Cavs’ second year sensation LeBron James said of Wade. “I played with him all summer, so I know what he can do.”
Miami’s Udonis Haslem chipped in with 15 points and Rasual Butler added 11. Drew Gooden had 24 points and 11 rebounds while James collected 21 points and eight assists for Cleveland, which dropped to 0-2. Zydrunas Ilgauskas struggled to net just eight points, one night after tying a career-high with 35 points in a double-overtime season-opening loss to Indiana.
The Heat never trailed though its lead was cut to 61-60 with five minutes left in the third quarter. But Wade took charge with six points in a 12-6 spurt that widened the gap to 73-66 heading into the final stanza.
The Cavaliers made one more run to pull within 75-71 early in the fourth quarter. But Haslem tallied five points and Wade added four more in a 13-4 run that clinched the victory.
Wizards 103, Bobcats 96: After a two-year absence, the NBA was back in Charlotte but the Washington Wizards ruined its return. Antawn Jamison scored a game-high 24 points, and Juan Dixon came off the bench to add 13 of his 15 in the final quarter, as the Wizards spoiled the inaugural regular-season game for the expansion Bobcats.
Charlotte lost its NBA franchise when the Hornets moved to New Orleans in 2002. But billionaire businessman Robert Johnson was awarded the franchise in the basketball rich city.
“The NBA is back in Charlotte big-time,” Johnson said. “The fans here are committed to the Bobcats. We’re going to win lots of games, we’re going to be competitive. We’re going to make the NBA proud we’re back. The Bobcats are somebody to believe in.”
Gilbert Arenas had 19 points along with eight assists while Jarvis Hayes chipped in with 17 points for the Wizards, who beat Memphis in their season-opener on Wednesday night.
Emeka Okafor, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, led Charlotte with 19 points and a game-best 10 rebounds. Primoz Brezec and Steve Smith added 15 points apiece in the loss.
“We’re still trying to develop and mesh together,” Okafor said. “As time goes on, we’re going to get better and better.”
With the game knotted at 85-85, midway through the fourth quarter, the Wizards went on a 9-0 run to take the lead for the good.
Nuggets 94, Timberwolves 92 (OT): The smallest player in the league came up with the biggest shot of the game. Tiny 5-foot-5 Earl Boykins buried a 15-jumper with 6.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the host Nuggets in their home opener over the Timberwolves.
“We were desperate, we needed a win very badly,” said Boykns, who finished with 14 points on just five-of-14 shooting. “Guys gutted it out.” With the contest leveled at 92-apiece, Boykins knocked down the game-winner from the left wing over Troy Hudson. Kevin Garnett, whose basket sent the game into overtime, had a chance to force a second extra session. But his fallaway jumper in the lane banged off the back of the iron as time expired.
Carmelo Anthony had 19 points and 14 rebounds for Denver, (1-1), which won despite shooting just 38 per cent from the floor. Andre Miller also scored 19 points, while newcomer Kenyon Martin collected 18 and 13 in his home debut, before fouling out in the overtime.
League Most Valuable Player Garnett had a game-high 25 points, along with 15 rebounds and five blocked shots. Trenton Hassell hit all eight field goal tries to finish with 17 points.
