Lebron James and Shaquille O'Neal made sure their teams wouldn't
be pushed around again by rivals. There was nothing Kobe Bryant
could do to help the Lakers, however.
Suspended by the National Basketball Association for the second
time this season for striking a player in the face after taking a
shot, Bryant wasn't around when Los Angeles fell 90-110 in
Milwaukee on Wednesday night for its fourth straight loss.
The Lakers, already battling a number of injuries, had only nine
available players. "I was just looking down there for some help,
and there was nothing there," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of his
bench.
In other games, it was: Heat 103, Bulls 70; Cavaliers 101,
Pistons 97 (in overtime); Rockets 111, Celtics 80; Hawks 100,
Wizards 97; Raptors 94, Grizzlies 87; 76ers 92, SuperSonics 89;
Jazz 94, Pacers 72; Suns 115, Bobcats 106 (in OT); and Warriors
110, Nuggets 96.
James scored a season-high 41 points, leading the Cavaliers in
Detroit. The Pistons had won the last four meetings, dating to Game
6 of last year's Eastern Conference semifinals, including two games
at Cleveland this season by an average of 14 points.
"The way they handled us so far this year, it was very big to
come on their court and get a win," James said.
O'Neal had 24 points, nine rebounds and a season-high eight
assists to lead Miami to its first win in four meetings with
Chicago this season. In their last visit to Miami, the Bulls won
108-66 on opening night, ruining Miami's ring celebration. The Heat
beat Chicago in six games in the first round of last season's
playoffs.
"They've been a little bit more serious in playing us than we
were in playing them," O'Neal said in Miami. "So we knew that we
owed this team. They hate us for some reason, which is fine."
Miami outscored Chicago 38-9 over a decisive second-half spurt
and got 23 points from Eddie Jones while improving to 5-2 since
Dwyane Wade's shoulder injury. The Heat also closed within three
games of Southeast Division leader Washington.
"They just dominated us in three games. They, like, toyed with
us," Heat coach Pat Riley said of the Bulls. "Somewhere, regardless
of what the situations were with injuries or whatever, you've got
to confront and compete with a team like them who you're vying with
for position in the conference. Our guys took that to heart."
So did the Cavs, who got another sensational performance from
James. He has scored 32 or more points in five straight games, with
Cleveland winning four of them.
James made three go-ahead baskets in the final 2 1/2 minutes and
made it 93-all on a dunk with 5.7 seconds left.
"He had it going, hitting some tough, tough shots," Detroit's
Chauncey Billups said. "That's what makes him a great player."
Cleveland pulled within two games of the Pistons for the top
spot in the Central Division and Eastern Conference after what
James called a "big win."
(Shanghai Daily March 9, 2007)