<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Miami Heat without Shaquille O?Neal aren?t nearly as formidable. Oddly enough, as the Sixers were celebrating their second victory in as many nights over the Toronto Raptors, Allen Iverson looked ahead to tonight?s game against the Heat (7:30, WPSG) and bemoaned the fact that O?Neal will still be sidelined with an ankle sprain. "It?s different," Iverson said. "You want to play every team with their best players so you can measure what type of team you are. But they?ve got a veteran guy backing him up that?s gonna come in with a lot of energy. Advertisement "And they?ve got other guys that do a lot of things on the basketball court. It?s gonna be different, but it?s still gonna be a tough game. It?s gonna be a game that we?re gonna have to play for 48 minutes." Alonzo Mourning is O?Neal?s backup, and, after blocking five shots Tuesday night against the Hornets, he leads the NBA with 3.75 blocks a game. He?s averaging 7.9 rebounds and 11 points while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor. The Sixers have had their problems on defense, where they are fourth in points given up at 104.41. On the flip side of the equation, their scoring average sits at 103.88. Defensively, the Heat rank in the middle of the pack. They give up 94.62 points a game and score 96.0. Even without O?Neal, the Heat has its weapons. Dwyane Wade continues to develop into a star. He?s averaging 24.5 points while shooting 44.4 percent. And Udonis Haslem (8.6 rebounds a game) has given the Sixers fits in the past. "Miami?s a very good basketball team," Philadelphia coach Maurice Cheeks said. "Dwyane Wade is a skilled player we?ve got to get ready for. Certainly, without Shaq, it?s a big plus for us and certainly a letdown for them. But we?ve got to get ready for a very good basketball team that has a lot of players around him."</div> Source
