GAME THREAD: NBA: MIAMI (1-5) at CHARLOTTE (3-3)

NBA: MIAMI at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
MIAMI 76
CHARLOTTE 91 FINAL</div>

 

By Derek Smith
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Gerald Wallace scored 19points and used a big run to open the third quarter as theCharlotte Bobcats cruised to an easy 91-76 victory over thedivision-rival Miami Heat on Tuesday night.


Jason Richardson scored 18 points and Emeka Okafor added 13 and10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who pounded the Heat, 31-12, in thethird quarter to spark their blowout victory.


Wallace, Richardson and Okafor each scored five points in thedecisive 18-3 run in which Charlotte connected on 7-of-11 shotswhile the Heat made just 1-of-8. The Bobcats also convertedtwo of the Heat's turnovers into five points.


Richardson's third 3-pointer of the game gave Charlotte an11-point cushion and forced Miami coach Pat Riley to calltimeout just two minutes into the second half.


Charlotte continued to control the game throughout the thirdperiod. Okafor's three-point play at 7:17 sent Heat centerShaquille O'Neal to the bench with his fourth foul whileextending the Bobcats' lead to 55-38.


Wallace's 3-pointer on the next possession put Charlotte aheadby 20 points and capped the 18-3 outburst.


The Bobcats' advantage ballooned to 25 points on a shot from thearc by Matt Carroll. The shot was set up when O'Neal had hisshot blocked from behind by Wallace - electrifying the crowd.

Charlotte cruised into the fourth quarter with a 71-47 lead.

Richardson gave the Bobcats an 84-54 lead - its largest of thegame - on another 3-pointer midway through the final period.Charlotte also took advantage of cold shooting by the Heat.

Miami struggled from the floor, shooting just 38.5 percent(30-of-78). And O'Neal was the only Heat player that had a goodshooting night, connecting on 7-of-14 from the field en route to17 points.


Charlotte continued to build its lead as the second quarterstarted thanks to rookie Jermareo Davidson, who netted thefirst six points for the Bobcats - pushing their lead to 23-14.

Richardson made another big shot in the second, giving theBobcats their first double-digit advantage, 34-23, with 3:25 toplay in the half.


Udonis Haslem sparked an 8-1 Heat run to close out the firsthalf with the Bobcats leading, 40-35.


Haslem collected 10 points and seven rebounds for Miami.

 

NBA: MIAMI at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">MIAMI (76) AT CHARLOTTE (91)

MIAMI

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

P HARDAWAY F 19:17 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0
U HASLEM F 27:17 4-13 2-2 2 5 7 1 2 0 1 10
S O'NEAL C 25:00 7-14 3-6 1 5 6 0 4 1 2 17
R DAVIS G 29:53 2-12 2-2 1 3 4 1 1 0 0 6
J WILLIAMS G 30:30 3-9 2-2 0 3 3 5 1 0 2 8
A MOURNING 10:08 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
C QUINN 12:28 2-5 1-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 5
D WRIGHT 24:40 0-1 0-2 0 5 5 2 0 1 2 0
D COOK 17:16 3-6 2-2 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 9
M BLOUNT 14:03 4-7 0-0 2 3 5 2 1 0 1 8
S PARKER 14:44 2-5 3-4 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 7
A JOHNSON 14:44 3-4 0-1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 6

TOTALS 240:00 30-78 15-22 8 30 38 17 15 2 10 76
(.385) (.682) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 11 (0 PTS)

CHARLOTTE

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

G WALLACE F 32:09 8-11 2-3 0 7 7 3 4 1 2 19
E OKAFOR F 31:41 3-8 7-9 2 8 10 1 3 2 0 13
P BREZEC C 15:28 2-8 2-2 2 1 3 1 2 0 0 6
J RICHARDSON G 31:13 7-15 0-0 0 8 8 4 0 0 1 18
R FELTON G 36:23 1-6 4-6 1 5 6 9 2 1 2 6
R HOLLINS 16:40 0-2 0-0 1 3 4 1 5 0 0 0
M CARROLL 20:51 4-10 0-0 0 2 2 0 1 0 1 10
J MCINNIS 30:51 3-7 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 0 1 6
J DAVIDSON 7:53 3-5 0-0 1 2 3 0 2 0 1 6
J DUDLEY 10:48 1-3 1-2 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 3
W HERRMANN 6:03 2-4 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4

TOTALS 240:00 34-79 16-22 9 38 47 22 22 5 8 91
(.430) (.727) TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 10 (0 PTS)

MIAMI 12 23 12 29 - 76
CHARLOTTE 17 23 31 20 - 91

BLOCKED SHOTS: MIAMI - S O'NEAL 2, A MOURNING, A JOHNSON. CHARLOTTE -
J DAVIDSON 2, G WALLACE, R HOLLINS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MIAMI 1-7 (.143), R DAVIS 0-1, J WILLIAMS 0-3, C QUINN 0-
1, D COOK 1-2. CHARLOTTE 7-15 (.467), G WALLACE 1-2, J RICHARDSON 4-
5, R FELTON 0-3, M CARROLL 2-3, J MCINNIS 0-1, W HERRMANN 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, EDDIE F. RUSH, KEVIN FEHR.
A - 12,169. T - 2:11.</div>

 

NBA: MIAMI at CHARLOTTE

<div class="pre">MIAMI (76) AT CHARLOTTE (91)

MIAMI

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

P HARDAWAY F 19:17 0-0 0-0 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0
U HASLEM F 27:17 4-13 2-2 2 5 7 1 2 0 1 10
S O'NEAL C 25:00 7-14 3-6 1 5 6 0 4 1 2 17
R DAVIS G 29:53 2-12 2-2 1 3 4 1 1 0 0 6
J WILLIAMS G 30:30 3-9 2-2 0 3 3 5 1 0 2 8
A MOURNING 10:08 0-2 0-0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
C QUINN 12:28 2-5 1-1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 5
D WRIGHT 24:40 0-1 0-2 0 5 5 2 0 1 2 0
D COOK 17:16 3-6 2-2 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 9
M BLOUNT 14:03 4-7 0-0 2 3 5 2 1 0 1 8
S PARKER 14:44 2-5 3-4 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 7
A JOHNSON 14:44 3-4 0-1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 6

TOTALS 240:00 30-78 15-22 8 30 38 17 15 2 10 76
(.385) (.682) TEAM REBS: 9 TOTAL TO: 11 (7 PTS)

CHARLOTTE

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

G WALLACE F 32:09 8-11 2-3 0 7 7 3 4 1 2 19
E OKAFOR F 31:41 3-8 7-9 2 8 10 1 3 2 0 13
P BREZEC C 15:28 2-8 2-2 2 1 3 1 2 0 0 6
J RICHARDSON G 31:13 7-15 0-0 0 8 8 4 0 0 1 18
R FELTON G 36:23 1-6 4-6 1 5 6 9 2 1 2 6
R HOLLINS 16:40 0-2 0-0 1 3 4 1 5 0 0 0
M CARROLL 20:51 4-10 0-0 0 2 2 0 1 0 1 10
J MCINNIS 30:51 3-7 0-0 0 1 1 2 3 0 1 6
J DAVIDSON 7:53 3-5 0-0 1 2 3 0 2 0 1 6
J DUDLEY 10:48 1-3 1-2 1 1 2 1 0 1 0 3
W HERRMANN 6:03 2-4 0-0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4
D ANDERSON DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 34-79 16-22 9 38 47 22 22 5 8 91
(.430) (.727) TEAM REBS: 12 TOTAL TO: 10 (10 PTS)

MIAMI 12 23 12 29 - 76
CHARLOTTE 17 23 31 20 - 91

BLOCKED SHOTS: MIAMI - S O'NEAL 2, A MOURNING, A JOHNSON. CHARLOTTE -
J DAVIDSON 2, G WALLACE, R HOLLINS.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MIAMI 1-7 (.143), R DAVIS 0-1, J WILLIAMS 0-3, C QUINN 0-
1, D COOK 1-2. CHARLOTTE 7-15 (.467), G WALLACE 1-2, J RICHARDSON 4-
5, R FELTON 0-3, M CARROLL 2-3, J MCINNIS 0-1, W HERRMANN 0-1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NONE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, EDDIE F. RUSH, KEVIN FEHR.
A - 12,169. T - 2:11.</div>

 

By Derek Smith
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Miami Heat coach Pat Rileyhasn't played in the NBA in over 20 years. But even at hisadvancing age, he thinks he would dominate his struggling squad.

Gerald Wallace scored 19 points and sparked a big run to openthe third quarter as the Charlotte Bobcats cruised to an easy91-76 victory over the Heat on Tuesday night.


Jason Richardson scored 18 points and Emeka Okafor added 13 and10 rebounds for the Bobcats, who pounded the Heat, 31-12, in thethird quarter to spark their blowout victory.


However, it was Riley's postgame comments which caused thebiggest fire.


"I should play," said Riley, who had a nine-year NBA career withthree teams from 1967-76. "I guarantee you, I should suit up. Iplay better than some of them right now. I guarantee you. I swearto God. With an old hip, 62 years old, can't (bleeping) see. Iplay better than some of my guys did tonight. It's not humorous, butwe were pretty bad across the board."


The Heat's starting five scored just 41 points and made just 16field goals which raised the ire of their coach.


"I just want somebody to step up," Riley said. "You grandfatherplaying time to all your starters or guys that have been in therotation and you're losing games. Eventually, you have toshave the beard and either get the look (of the team) younger orget somebody else in there. It can't continue like this."

Wallace, Richardson and Okafor each scored five points in thedecisive run in which Charlotte connected on 7-of-11 shots whilethe Heat made just 1-of-8. The Bobcats also converted two ofthe Heat's turnovers into five points.


Richardson's third 3-pointer of the game gave Charlotte an11-point cushion and forced Riley to call timeout just twominutes into the second half.


Charlotte continued to control the game throughout the thirdperiod. Okafor's three-point play at 7:17 sent Heat centerShaquille O'Neal to the bench with his fourth foul whileextending the Bobcats' lead to 55-38.


"Defensively, we were able to do some of the things we have beenpreaching since training camp," Charlotte coach Sam Vincentsaid. "When we get the ball out and run, we've got some guysthat can really get up and down the court.


"Gerald and Jason are as good as anybody in the league atgetting to the basket and getting good shots."


Wallace's 3-pointer on the next possession put Charlotte aheadby 20 points and capped the 18-3 outburst.


The Bobcats' advantage ballooned to 25 points on a shot from thearc by Matt Carroll. The shot was set up when O'Neal had hisshot blocked from behind by Wallace - electrifying the crowd.

"The last three games we've felt our team is getting better,"Wallace said. "Our offense is looking smoother, the ball ismoving around the perimeter a lot easier, our defense is moreaggressive, we're helping on defense, we're taking teams out ofwhat they want to do.


"It's not just this game, it's been building from three gamesago and it's continuing to build."


Charlotte cruised into the fourth quarter with a 71-47 lead.

Richardson gave the Bobcats an 84-54 lead - its largest of thegame - on another 3-pointer midway through the final period.Charlotte also took advantage of cold shooting by the Heat.

"Hats off to our defense tonight," Wallace said. "Guys areplaying together defensively. We've got to be able to playdefense. Our defense was great tonight. It was aggressive."

Miami struggled from the floor, shooting just 38.5 percent(30-of-78). And O'Neal was the only Heat regular that had agood shooting night, connecting on 7-of-14 from the field enroute to 17 points.


"We just weren't consistent tonight," O'Neal said. "We had alot of mental lapses defensively, and the Bobcats did a good jobcapitalizing off of our mistakes."


Charlotte continued to build its lead as the second quarterstarted thanks to rookie Jermareo Davidson, who netted the firstsix points for the Bobcats - pushing their lead to 23-14.

Richardson made another big shot in the second, giving theBobcats their first double-digit advantage, 34-23, with 3:25 toplay in the half.


Udonis Haslem sparked an 8-1 Heat run to close out the firsthalf with the Bobcats leading, 40-35.


Haslem collected 10 points and seven rebounds for Miami, whichcontinued to play without All-Star Dwayne Wade (offseason kneeand shoulder surgeries).