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STAT SHEET STUFFER
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The Heat got a boost from the return of Shaquille O'Neal on Sunday, but the presence of O'Neal didn't decrease Dwyane Wade's production. Wade turned in an impressive stat line with a season-high 41 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and a blocked shot. He finished 15-of-27 from the floor.
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RICK KAMLA'S FANTASY TAKE
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Get used to more of these lines (4-4-4) from Alonzo Mourning now that Shaq is back. The blocks will be nice, but say so long to the double-doubles.
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GAME OF THE NIGHT
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Sunday provided a prime ealy-season matchup between inter-conference teams off to sizzling starts. The Pistons took their league-best 14-2 record to Los Angeles to face the upstart Clippers, who entered atop the Pacific Division and 9-1 at home on the season. Elton Brand and the Clippers proved they are not the pushovers they have been in the past, but the battle-tested Pistons held on for a 109-101 victory. Brand continued his torrid start to the season with 36 points and 10 rebounds, but the backcourt tandem of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton combined for 48 points to lead Detroit to its sixth straight win..
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QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
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"We didn't know that was going on, we took what the defense gave us and executed. When you execute the way we did, good things will happen."
- Detroit's Richard Hamilton, talking about his team turning the ball over only four times in Sunday's 109-101 win over the Clippers.
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STORYLINES OF THE NIGHT
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 1. Shaq Comes Back
Shaquille O'Neal made a subtle return to the Heat lineup after an 18-game absence due to an ankle injury, but he made his presence known by the time it was all said and done. O'Neal sent the game to overtime by hitting 1-of-2 free throws with a second to go in regulation and added a dunk in the extra period as Miami pulled out a 104-101 win over Washington. Shaq finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench. The win snapped a four-game losing streak for the Heat, who had their offense clicking on all cylinders with the big man back on the floor. Dwyane Wade and Gary Payton both reached season highs in points, with Wade scoring 41 and Payton notching 21.
 2. T-Mac to the Rescue
The numbers don't lie when it comes to proving how vital Tracy McGrady is to the success of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets were 0-8 without McGrady this season entering Sunday and 6-4 with the star in their lineup. He appeared to show no signs of the back problem that sidelined him earlier this season on Sunday, scoring 35 points in a 100-86 win at Portland. It was the fourth victory in five games for the Rockets since McGrady returned from his most recent stint on the bench. "(McGrady's) a great player," Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "I think both teams are probably in the same place except for obviously he is a superior player. You can always go to him and you're going to get a quality shot. He may not always make it, but you're going to get a quality shot."
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ROOKIE WATCH
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The season is only a little over a month old, but Chris Paul is making the Rookie of the Year competition look like a one-man race so far. The Hornets' point guard continued his stellar campaign on Sunday with 18 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in a 110-100 loss at Sacramento. "Just a quarter of the season, and I would definitely say he is a runaway for Rookie of the Year," said his coach
Byron Scott. "He's growing and getting better each day."
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COOL/CLUTCH PERFORMANCE
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Richard Hamilton and Chauncey Billups have begun to symbolize the definition of "cool/clutch" over the past few postseasons, and Sunday was no exception. The backcourt duo combined for 48 points in Sunday's 109-101 win over the Clippers. The Pistons turned the ball over only four times Sunday - one off the record.
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SCOREBOARD: Dec. 11, 2005 |
AROUND THE ASSOCIATION ARCHIVE
Gerald Fitch hits from midcourt.
