Shaq leads Heat

They're back on track, thanks to Shaq.
After stumbling to back-to-back losses, the Heat rediscovered its winning ways Monday, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 106-89 at AmericanAirlines Arena.
With the victory the Heat (38-32) took over first place in the Southeast Division for the first time this season, a half game ahead of Washington (37-32). The Wizards lost to the Utah Jazz 103-97.
Center Shaquille O'Neal set the tone for the Heat in both performance and attitude. He was aggressive, recording a team-high 22 points and 11 rebounds. And despite being fouled hard numerous times and shooting some hard glares toward the Hawks, O'Neal said he never got frustrated by what turned into a questionable tactic.
"If I get frustrated you'll know because there'll be another brawl," he said.
"It just shows how the other opponent quits. Can't stop him. Foul him."
O'Neal, who was 42.8 percent from the line coming into the game, hit 12 of his 20 free throws Monday, establishing season highs for free throws made and attempted. He left the Hawks wondering how to defend him.
"I'm like the Pythagorean theorem; by the time you figure me out it's too late," said O'Neal, who passed Reggie Miller for 12th in career scoring with 25,291 points.
Joking aside, the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O'Neal did take exception to getting whacked in the head a couple of times, and it was then when he shot the icy glares toward Atlanta players. Everyone noticed.
"Thank God Shaquille has a certain countenance and demeanor about him he didn't really hurt somebody," Riley said. "I thought some of the fouls were pretty hard fouls."
But they turned out to be beneficial.
Miami, which entered the game ranked second to last in the NBA in free-throw shooting at 70.1 percent, finished 32-for-45 from the line (71.1), tying its season high in attempts. Miami attempted more than three times as many free throws as Atlanta, which finished 11-for-14 from the line.
The Heat's offense, which has been inconsistent recently, got big contributions from forward James Posey (19 points) and guards Jason Williams (14 points) and Eddie Jones (13 points, nine rebounds).
Miami took an early 15-4 lead and watched it dwindle to 57-52 by halftime.
But the Heat came out strong in the third quarter, taking a 63-53 lead while allowing Atlanta to get within single digits only once after that.
"We needed this one to get our feet back under us a little bit," Posey said. "It's a boost, because we're about to go on the road and need to take it to another level."
The Heat, which has an off day today, can afford to look at the big picture. It has 12 games remaining - including seven on the road.
Miami has a big week with games at Toronto (Wednesday), at Minnesota (Friday) and at Detroit (Sunday). And it still has its eye on the winning the division.
But there's still no timetable for guard Dwyane Wade's return from his dislocated shoulder and torn labrum, although Riley hinted it might be about two weeks.
"If it can happen where he can come back and play you want to have at least, I would say, three or four games under your belt and a good week of practice," Riley said.
Riley also said forward Jason Kapono, the league leader in three-point percentage, might return sometime next week.
Kapono has a sprained left ankle and bone bruise.