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Wade, Heat don't need Shaq to beat Magic

Center struggles, but young star has near-triple double in 110-100 victory

Miami Heat v Orlando MagicGetty Images
Dwyane Wade had 36 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists to lift Miami over Orlando 110-100 Wednesday.

ORLANDO, Fla. - For the second night in a row, the Miami Heat made it look easy. Mostly.

Dwyane Wade had 36 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists to lift the Heat over the Orlando Magic 110-100 Wednesday night, surviving a late Orlando run.

The loss came on a busy day for the Magic, who traded reserve center Kelvin Cato and a first-round pick to the Detroit Pistons for Darko Milicic, the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft, and guard Carlos Arroyo.

It was the Heat’s second win over Orlando in as many days, and they did it without a huge game from Shaquille O’Neal. The All-Star center had seven points and 11 rebounds before fouling out with 27.6 seconds remaining.

O’Neal’s big inside presence did rattle Magic center Dwight Howard, who didn’t hit a field goal until the 4:34 left in the game. Howard was 14-for-18 from the foul line and finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Antoine Walker had 26 points for the Heat, while Udonis Haslem added 12 points and 12 rebounds.

“We have a three-game winning streak and guys are playing good. Shaq and myself are getting into the flow,” Wade said.

Orlando trailed by 21 at the end of the third quarter, and by 29 into the fourth, but used an 11-point run to close within six with 2:13 left. Gary Payton then hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 1:55 remaining — and another from the same spot with 48.8 seconds left — and Wade hit several free throws to help seal the victory.

“We missed some shots and didn’t execute the way we’re capable of executing, and the next thing you know they just crept back in it,” Walker said. “You have to give them credit. Any team on a losing streak, if they got any pride in themselves, they’re going to fight back, and they fought back and made it interesting down the stretch.”

The Southeast Division-leading Heat coast into the All-Star break with a 32-20 record and good prospects for the rest of the regular season.

Orlando has now lost 10 of its past 11 games, entering the break with a 19-32 record and very little chance of making the postseason.

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“We’ve just got to get everybody on the same page here. It’s a disappointing first half to the All-Star break,” Magic coach Brian Hill said.

All Orlando starters scored in double figures, led by Howard and Tony Battie with 16. Hedo Turkoglu and DeShawn Stevenson each scored 14, while Steve Francis added 12 points and six assists.

Grant Hill had seven points in 14 minutes, coming off the bench for the third straight game after missing 13 while recovering from a sports hernia.

Notes: Miami has won 10 of its last 11 meetings with Orlando. ... O’Neal, still a fan favorite from his days with the Magic, was received warmly by the road crowd. ... Alonzo Mourning fouled out with 8 seconds left, finishing with five points and two rebounds.


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