O'Neal powers Heat to 8 in a row

All Heat center Shaquille O'Neal wanted was a chance.So he waited through a foul-filled first half.
Refreshed and rested, he then made the Nets pay in the third quarter of what turned into a 93-86 Heat victory Thursday night at Continental Airlines Arena.Limited to 51/2 minutes in the first half, including just 30 seconds in the second quarter, O'Neal did everything but hit foul shots in the third period, as the Heat pushed to a nine-point lead on the way to extending its winning streak to eight."There is no doubt he definitely changed the game for us," coach Pat Riley said."We're a different team with him out there."Showing everything from an up-and-under reverse layup, which he termed his "dipsy-doo-doo," to a feathery jump hook, O'Neal scored 12 of his 19 points in the third to help turn a 45-43 halftime deficit into a 68-60 lead entering the final period."Due to flopping, I didn't do anything," O'Neal said of his first half. "I was upset. I felt they tried to limit me, whoever `they' may be."But then O'Neal got going."They tried to limit me, but they couldn't," he said. "I said to myself, `Third quarter, I have to do what I do.'"Once O'Neal got going, the Heat seized control, thanks to timely 3-pointers from forward Antoine Walker and guards Gary Payton and Jason Williams, as well as a jumper from forward James Posey off an inbounds pass with one second left on the shot clock."These guys, they're not afraid," Riley said of his perimeter players stepping forward when needed most on otherwise uneven shooting nights.And then, when the game needed to be decided, O'Neal did just that with a short jump hook with 1:07 to play, putting the Heat up by four.O'Neal entered in a playful mood, joking about how the NBA is experiencing the end of an era as his career winds down."I'm un-emulate-able," he said. "I took the files and deleted them, ate 'em, used 'em in the bathroom, flushed it into the sewage plant and blew the sewage plant up. So there's no way my style can be copied. It's gone."Yet, when Thursday's game turned, the best of O'Neal was all on full display.The power game, in fact, proved decisive for the Heat, with power forward Udonis Haslem leading the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds and backup center Alonzo Mourning contributing 11 points and six rebounds. O'Neal, Haslem and Mourning were a combined 20 of 30 from the field, dominating the Nets' power rotation of Jason Collins, Mikki Moore and Josh Boone.With his 11 points, Mourning is now 24 from passing Glen Rice for the franchise's all-time scoring lead. But it was Haslem's effort that was critical early while O'Neal was in foul trouble."In a situation like mine," Haslem said, "you pick your spots. Tonight, I was making good choices."With Williams controlling the tempo with 12 assists, the Heat made it 16 victories in its last 20 games, as it continued to flourish despite the injury absences of guard Dwyane Wade and forward Jason Kapono.The Nets did their part as well, as they closed the season series 1-3 against the team that has eliminated them in each of the past two postseasons.With teammates Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson struggling from the field on combined 10-of-30 shooting, Kidd found the impact of his nine points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds limited.Despite taking a 13-game home winning streak into tonight's game against Sacramento, the Heat entered in need of a road statement, having lost four of its previous five away from AmericanAirlines Arena."We have to just keep moving along," Riley said.