Today World Cup News

Toni sends Italy into semifinals

Luca Toni scored twice to carry Italy over Ukraine, 3-0, Friday in the quarterfinals at FIFA World Cup Stadium Hamburg. The Fiorentina forward notched two goals within 10 minutes to reserve Italy a spot in the semifinals. The team meets host Germany July 4 in Dortmund.

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Gianluca Zambrotta opened the scoring in the 6th minute. The Juventus defender fired a left-footer from 25 yards out past Ukraine goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy to take the lead. Italy, which knocked out Australia in the Round of 16, then doubled its lead in the 59th minute as Toni scored with a close-range header. Toni found teammate Francesco Totti's cross inside the box and put the ball out of Shovkovskiy's reach. Toni then sealed the win 10 minutes later as he tapped in Zambrotta's perfect cross.

Pekerman resigns after Argentina loss

Manager Jose Pekerman resigned from his coaching position Friday shortly after Argentina was eliminated from the World Cup. Argentina and Germany played to a 1-1 draw before the host nation advanced on a penalty-kick shootout. Pekerman, who is 56-years-old, had just taken charge of Argentina in September 2004.

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Argentina had a one goal lead for much of the match from Roberto Ayala's goal in the 49th minute. Germany's Miroslav Klose found the equalizer in the 80th minute, sending both teams to extra time and then into the shootout. Argentina finished the group stages with two wins and a draw, earning the Group C first place spot over the Netherlands. The team advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Mexico, 2-1 in extra time.

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MLB today news

Politte reinstated from DL

The Chicago White Sox recalled Cliff Politte from his rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A Charlotte and reinstated the right-handed reliever from the 15-day disabled list. The White Sox placed Politte on the disabled list on June 7 (retroactive to June 5) with right shoulder inflammation. He made three appearances (two starts) for Charlotte, recording a 1.93 earned run average and five strikeouts.

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Politte, 32, is 1-1 with a 7.40 earned run average in 23 appearances this season. Over his last seven outings, he yielded eight runs in just 6 1/3 innings. That is in sharp contrast to Politte's numbers last year, as the 10-year veteran finished with a 7-1 record and a 2.00 ERA for the World Series champion White Sox.

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Padres' Bard suspended

San Diego Padres catcher Josh Bard has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his aggressive actions during his club's game against the Seattle Mariners at San Diego's PETCO Park on Sunday.

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Bard was ejected in the game for arguing balls and strikes with home plate umpire Paul Nauert. After being tossed he pointed his bat at Nauert and needed to be restrained by third base coach Glenn Hoffman. Bard appealed the suspension and was eligible to play during San Diego's 8-1 victory over Oakland on Wednesday at Petco Park.

Chris Carpenter will try to prevent the St. Louis Cardinals from their first nine-game losing streak in 26 years

Thanks to Tuesday's 3-1 setback to the Indians, the Cardinals are in the midst of their worst losing streak since 1988, when they lost eight in a row from July 4-15. Their last nine-game skid came May 15-25, 1980 with 10 consecutive defeats. Now, reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter will try to prevent the St. Louis Cardinals from their first nine-game losing streak in 26 years when he takes the hill tonight against the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a three-game interleague set.

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The 31-year-old right-hander has faced the Indians eight times in his career; six of which have been starts, and is 2-2 against them with a 6.81 ERA. Carpenter, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from a horrific outing in his last start on Friday against Detroit. In that contest Carpenter was tagged with seven runs and nine hits in seven innings to fall to 6-4 on the year, while raising his earned run average to a still respectable 2.97.

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St. Louis continued to struggle against the American League on Tuesday, as C.C. Sabathia threw eight solid innings to snap a four-start winless streak in the Indians' win. Ronnie Belliard blasted a two-run homer in the first inning and Victor Martinez singled in a run in the seventh for Cleveland, which has outscored the Cardinals, 13-4, in the first two games of this set.

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Cleveland owns a 10-3 all-time record against St. Louis and has taken all four of the lifetime series between the teams. The Tribe is 91-80 overall in interleague play, while the Cardinals are 76-65 versus the AL. However, St. Louis is just 3-8 against the Junior Circuit this season.

Surging Angels resume series with Rockies

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will try for their fifth win in six games tonight when they host the Colorado Rockies in the middle test of a three-game interleague series at Angel Stadium. The Angels won the opener of this set on Monday, edging the Rockies by a 5-4 score. Mike Napoli's two-run double keyed a five-run eighth inning to spark Los Angeles.

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Chone Figgins collected two hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Angels. Orlando Cabrera reached base safely in his 54th consecutive game and also scored in the win. John Lackey (5-5) was credited with the victory. The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits in eight innings. Todd Helton hit a two-run homer for the Rockies, who saw their brief two-game winning streak halted.

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The Angels will send struggling hurler Jeff Weaver to the mound tonight. Weaver is 3-9 with a 5.82 this season and is winless (0-2) over his last four outings. He was handed a no decision last Wednesday in San Francisco after yielding two runs and six hits in six innings of action. Weaver did strike out seven batters and walked one. The 29-year-old right-hander is 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA in five career starts against the Rockies.

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Aaron Cook will aim for his first victory in over a month when he takes the mound for the Rockies tonight. Cook is 0-4 in his last six starts since beating Toronto on May 19, but does have a respectable 3.73 ERA in that stretch. He posted a no decision last Wednesday against Oakland despite allowing just one run and four hits over eight innings. The Angels have won the last seven meetings with Colorado. The Rockies are just 61-77 all-time in interleague play and the Angels are 87-82 versus the NL.

Twins hope to stay hot with Dodgers in town

Baseball's hottest team will vie for its 13th victory in 14 games this evening when the scorching Minnesota Twins host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first of a three-game series at the Metrodome. The Twins ran their home winning streak to seven games on Sunday, completing a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with an 8-1 victory.

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Torii Hunter homered, drove in two runs and scored twice while Brad Radke threw seven scoreless innings to lead Minnesota to the easy win. The veteran right-hander yielded seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Ruben Sierra was 2-of-4 with a run scored and two runs batted in for the Twins, while Luis Rodriguez added a home run in the triumph.

There's no secret formula to the Twins' recent success. They've turned it around by undoing many of the personnel moves made during the offseason. Tony Batista is gone. Rondell White might as well be gone because he isn't playing anymore. They've also quit counting on the often-injured Ruben Sierra, who now is relegated to a very limited role.

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After some clubhouse strife in 2005, general manager Terry Ryan went out of his way to acquire veterans who were considered good guys and good teammates. All the newcomers turned out to be swell guys. They were just weren't good ballplayers.

The organization went back to the formula of relying on in-house moves to plug holes. Jason Kubel and Jason Bartlett have assumed prominent roles. Michael Cuddyer has moved into the cleanup spot. Justin Morneau has turned into a bona fide power hitter. Francisco Liriano has stepped into the rotation.

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Larry Brown out of the New York Knicks

Larry Brown is out as head coach of the New York Knicks after just one dismal season and president/general manager Isiah Thomas will replace him on the bench. Brown's ouster had been reported for more than a month and Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan made it official on Thursday.

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"Larry has had a long and storied career. We hired him last summer with the expectation that he would be with the Knicks for a long time. Sometimes decisions work and sometimes they don't. After careful consideration, despite the best intentions from everyone involved, this current structure did not work for us last season and I did not think it was going to improve next season," Dolan said in a statement.

Brown left the Detroit Pistons for his "Dream Job" with the Knicks and suffered through a 23-59 season. Not only was the record the worst for the Knicks since an identical mark in 1985-86, but the 2005-06 season included a reported rift between Brown and Thomas, as well as public criticisms from the coach to his players.

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"I have great personal admiration for Larry, but have concluded that it is best for our franchise if we make this change," Dolan continued. "We understand that fans were not happy with the performance of the team last season and neither were we. We are committed to making major improvements next season towards our goal of producing a winning basketball team."

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Major League Baseball News Coverage

Hernandez goes for fifth straight win

The 20-year-old Felix Hernandes, who is unbeaten since May 26, can stretch his career-best win streak to five starts when the Seattle Mariners visit Dodger Stadium on Thursday to close out a three-game interleague series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-hander has improved his season record to 7-6 and dropped his earned run average from 5.59 to 5.02. Felix has never faced the Dodgers.

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Pirates, Royals conclude series

Right-hander Scott Elarton tries to snap an unusual home losing streak when the Kansas City Royals host the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon in the final game of an interleague series at Kauffman Stadium. The 6-foot-7, 255-pound right-hander is winless in eight starts in his home ballpark, going 0-5 with a 5.64 earned run average over 44 2/3 innings.

These teams haven't faced one another since 2001, when the Pirates took two of three in PNC Park. Kansas City owns a slim 11-8 edge in the overall series. Both teams have historically struggled in interleague play, as the Royals are 70-95 all-time and Pittsburgh is 50-79.

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Mets look to shake off tough loss in finale with Reds

Pedro Martinez hopes to get back on the winning track this afternoon when the New York Mets close their four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds at Shea Stadium. Martinez lost for the third time in his last four decisions on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles. He allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits in seven innings to fall to 6-3 on the year, while raising his earned run average to 3.01. The 34-year-old right-hander has faced the Reds 16 times in his career, 10 of which have been starts, and is 5-2 against them with a save and a miniscule 1.96 ERA.

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Daily sports coverage

The Houston Astros

After sweeping a four game set against the Atlanta Braves last weekend, the Astros continued to roll, taking three in a row from the Chicago Cubs. However, true to form, the Astros followed up their sweep of the Cubs by dropping two out of three games to the lowly Kansas City Royals.

Their inability to close teams out and beat less talented ball clubs has landed them in third place in the NL Central standings. Last week was a prime example of the highs and lows that have been the Houston Astros season. Houston now finds itself seven games back from the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals and will have to rally around their 43-year old leader in order to make a run at the division crown.

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Miami Heat 2006 NBA champions

Even before Game 6 of the NBA Finals had officially ended, an ecstatic crowd of around 14,000 white towel-waving fans celebrated the Miami Heat's first NBA championship Tuesday evening as they watched on the Jumbotron during the Heat's ``Road Rally'' watch party at AmericanAirlines Arena.

The final score was Miami 95, Dallas 92. During the game Dwyane Wade poured in 36 points and drilled four key free throws with under 30 seconds remaining to lead the Miami Heat to the franchise's first NBA championship. The Heat won the series 4-2 and became only the third team in league history to come back from a 2-0 deficit to win the title.

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Portugal takes first place in Group D in the World Cup

This is the first time since 1966 that Portugal has sealed a second round berth. Portugal clinched the top spot in Group D after defeating 10-man Mexico, 2-1, Wednesday in Gelsenkirchen. With the victory, Portugal faces either Group C contender Argentina or the Netherlands in the Round of 16.

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Game Capsules

National Basketball Association

The Minnesota Timberwolves: The University of North Carolina product, Rashad McCants underwent successful microfracture surgery on his right knee. The team orthopedic surgeon, perform the procedure and said that McCants is expected to make a full recovery. His expected rehabilitation time is 4-to-6 months.

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The Miami Heat: The team, which won last Sunday at American Airlines Arena in the pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals, after All-Star guard Dwyane Wade poured in 43 point and connected on two free throws to lead Miami past the Mavericks 101-100, to lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, will try to capture their first-ever NBA championship, as they visit the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday at American Center for Game 6 of the NBA Finals. If the Mavericks win the game, Game 7 is scheduled to be played on Thursday in Dallas.

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Major League Baseball

The Arizona Diamondbacks: The team is fighting to stay alive after having lost 12 of their last 14 games, yet have still managed to keep within a half game of the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona’s pitching staff has fallen apart during the month of June, as opponents are averaging 6.6 runs per game over 18 games.

The Pittsburgh Pirates: Kip Wells will make his first start on Tuesday after spending the entire early season on the disabled list for the Pittsburgh Pirates, which visit Kauffman Stadium for the first of three interleague games with the Kansas City Royals. Wells, who lead the majors with 18 losses last season, missed the first few months of 2006 following surgery to repair a blocked artery in his right shoulder.

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Somehow, free throws win it for Heat

On the night where Dwyane Wade broke a 48-year-old NBA finals record for free throws made in a game, Shaquille O'Neal continued missing with amazing regularity, shooting so badly that even his wife Shaunie couldn't bear to watch.

He was 2-for-12 in the game.

He's now 13-for-44 in the series.

And somehow, it didn't matter.

Wade saved his teammate - and the Heat, with his 43 points and two free throws with 1.9 seconds left being the winning margin in a 101-100 victory in Game 5 of the NBA finals on Sunday night.

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The Heat now lead the best-of-seven championship series 3-2, and can win the title in Dallas on Tuesday night. If the Mavericks win that one, it's a winner-take-all Game 7 on Thursday night.

O'Neal's struggles are now so mighty that the Mavericks didn't even fear intentionally fouling him when they had the lead in the fourth quarter. They went to the Hack-a-Shaq twice in the final period of regulation, utilizing the scheme invented by former Mavs coach Don Nelson.

O'Neal went 1-for-4 on those two trips, not counting one brick waved off by a lane violation. Shaunie O'Neal had her head bent for some of those foul shots, the magnitude of the moment making it impossible for her to look up.

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In the end, though, everything looked up - thanks to Wade.

He was 21-for-25 from the foul line, two more makes than what Bob Pettit had for St. Louis on April 9, 1958. Go figure: The second-most free throws made in a finals game is 18, accomplished by O'Neal for the Los Angeles Lakers against Indiana in the 2000 title series, when he won his first ring.

Now, misses and all, he's one win from his fourth championship.

For the game, Miami was 32-for-49 from the foul line. Dallas was 21-for-25. And yes, while that discrepancy looks huge, consider that the Mavericks were fouling O'Neal early and often - accounting for much of the imbalance in that category.

Still, as Miami fizzled from the line, the Mavericks sizzled, missing only one free throw in regulation - coming down the stretch by Dirk Nowitzki, who missed a crucial one at the end of Game 3 as well, the game where the Heat rallied from 13 points down with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.

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Dallas was 18-for-19 in the first four quarters, with that sole miss being the one that could have saved the Mavs from going to overtime - and moved them one win from a title.

Instead, now it's Miami in the driver's seat.

"We can smell it," Wade said before trotting triumphantly into the locker room.

Mavs try to regroup after blown lead

Back at his hotel room in the wee hours Wednesday, Jason Terry was still thinking about all the things he and the Dallas Mavericks did wrong in their stunning collapse against the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the NBA finals. Looking to clear his mind, he flipped on the television and started scanning the stations.

Terry opted to punish himself only so much. He turned off the TV at halftime, claiming Wednesday afternoon that it was because he didn't want to stay up until dawn.

Of course, had he kept watching, he might never have gotten any sleep.

Dallas went ahead by 13 points with 6:34 left on a jumper by Terry, but wound up losing 98-96. Although the Mavericks still lead the series 2-1, they spent a short night and a long day trying to get over one of the worst fourth-quarter meltdowns in the 345-game history of the NBA finals.

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"We didn't really get lots of rest - I didn't, at least," said Dirk Nowitzki, who scored 30 points but missed a free throw that would've tied it with 3.4 seconds left. "It didn't help that the room service took about three hours because they were a little overwhelmed."

The fact that the outcome required almost a perfect storm of Mavs mistakes and Heat heroics hardly dulled the agony. About the only solace was having Game 4 on Thursday night to focus on instead.

"I told our team that we were in for a battle," coach Avery Johnson said. "This is a seven-game series. Whether we're up 2-0, down 0-2, up 2-1, down 1-2, it really doesn't matter. It's about grinding out this whole series."

If Dallas goes on to win the series - as the nine previous teams that led 2-0 since the finals went to a 2-3-2 format in 1985 have done - the Game 3 loss will be nothing more than a footnote.

It might even prove to be a gut check, like the 3-1 series lead against San Antonio that was nearly squandered or the 20-point wipeout loss in Phoenix in the conference finals.

But if the Mavericks wind up losing the series, the finger-pointing will begin with the final 6:34 of Tuesday night's game.

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For those who thought the Mavs were comfortably ahead and either turned off their TVs or fell asleep with it on, and for fans who still can't believe what they saw, here are some of the factors that added up to Miami's 22-7 closing run:

- The beginning of the end was a 16-footer by Terry that made it 89-76. It capped a 12-5 spurt that gave Dallas its biggest lead of the night. It seemed pretty safe, too, considering the Mavs had made six straight shots, the Heat were in a 1-for-5 rut with three turnovers and Miami star Dwyane Wade already was playing with five fouls.

- Dallas went 2-for-7 the rest of the game, with all five misses in a row. Devin Harris made both baskets - a jumper that actually pushed the team's shooting streak to 7-for-7, then a layup with 33.5 seconds that tied it at 95.

The Heat, meanwhile, made its next five shots and went 7-of-11 during the rally.

Wade scored 12 of his 42 points along the way, but there also were unexpected contributions: Shaquille O'Neal hitting a pair of free throws with 1:48 left; Udonis Haslem, who'd been 0-for-4 at the line, making a pair with 1:03 left to put the Heat ahead by one; and Gary Payton making a 21-footer for a 97-95 lead with 9.3 seconds left.

Payton hadn't taken a shot all game. He also was 1-for-8 in the finals and 7-for-34 (21 percent) over his last seven games, the equivalent of a full series.

"We couldn't score and we couldn't stop anybody. It was as simple as that," Harris said. "We struggled getting good looks at the baskets and they were getting layups and easy jump shots."

- The Mavericks withstood 11 turnovers and being outrebounded by 11 to build their 13-point lead. They couldn't overcome five more turnovers and an 8-4 disparity on the boards during the deciding half-quarter.

"That killer instinct, it just wasn't there," Terry said.

- Dallas also was hurt by 3.4 seconds that were lost in the final minute because of an equipment problem. There were 2.5 seconds lost after Terry committed a foul with 45.3 seconds left, then another 0.9 was lost after a foul against Miami with 4.3 seconds left.

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"In both cases, the cause of the problem was a malfunction in the electronic device worn by one of the game officials, which is designed to automatically stop the clock when the referee's whistle is blown," said NBA senior vice president for basketball operations Stu Jackson. "The NBA will replace the defective equipment for subsequent games of the finals."

- If the Mavericks ever felt good during all this, it was when Nowitzki went to the foul line with a chance to force overtime. After making the first free throw, he was 10-of-11 for the game and 26-of-28 for the series.

The next one hit the front and back of the rim, but didn't fall.

It was about all that went wrong for Miami in the final 6:34.

O'Neal does his part for Heat

Shaq had his moments.

The spinning shot for the first points of the game. The reverse layup later in the quarter. The two free throws he swished to nearly spark a standing ovation.

Those fans were even louder when Shaquille O'Neal hit two more in the waning minutes - with the game, and perhaps the season, in the balance.

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No, he wasn't dominant. But the three-time champion was good enough for the Miami Heat.

And now, after he helped the Miami Heat pull off an epic comeback in Game 3 of the NBA finals, O'Neal still has a chance of making good on that promise of delivering a championship to South Florida.

O'Neal's 16-point, 11-rebound effort - his best so far against Dallas in the NBA finals - helped the Heat beat the Mavericks 98-96 on Tuesday night, drawing Miami within 2-1 in this best-of-seven series.

"We still made a lot of silly mistakes," O'Neal said. "But, you know, we never gave up. We just kept playing, showed a lot of heart, a lot of intensity."

And for as good as he was on the floor, O'Neal might have won this game with a phone call he made last summer. He wooed Gary Payton to take less money and sign with Miami; Payton hit a jumper from the right wing with 9.3 seconds left to put the Heat up for good.

"We needed this one," O'Neal said. "Bad."

Funny how one win makes everything seem good again. Because until Tuesday, the series had been one to forget for O'Neal.

He was 2-for-16 from the foul line in the first two games, both Miami losses. He didn't play in the final 15 minutes of Game 2, and didn't talk to reporters after a five-shot, five-point, mediocre-for-some, abysmal-for-him effort in that one - his silence drawing him a $10,000 fine from the NBA.

"I didn't talk and I got fined," O'Neal said. "I didn't deserve to talk. So I took the fine."

He was fine early Tuesday for Miami, trying to set the tone with four first-half assists - he finished with a game-high five, tying Dallas' Jason Terry - and made his first two foul shots of the night.

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The Heat were down by 13 in the fourth quarter, but O'Neal did his part to add to the comeback. He set a pick to free Wade for a jumper that cut Dallas' lead to 91-86. He rebounded Dirk Nowitzki's miss on the next possession, and Wade followed with a layup to get Miami within three.

But his biggest contribution to the rally came with 1:48 left, when his two free throws - with his wife Shaunie jumping for joy and his father, Phil Harrison, bending his head and unable to look - got Miami to 93-90.

"If I take my time and concentrate," O'Neal said in the din of the postgame on-court celebration, "they usually go in."

Sure enough, they did. And soon, the comeback was complete.

"I tell you, my problem lately is that I've just been listening to too many people," Wade said.

He did listen to Wade, though.

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The Heat's dynamic duo had another late-night shooting session at Miami's practice facility Monday night, Wade working on one end, Shaq shooting free throws at the other.

Looks like the extra effort paid off, too.

"Well, last night I was at the house, and D. Wade called me and said he watched the DVD where I was shooting free throws and it looked pretty good so he wanted me to go back to that style," O'Neal said. "And a funny thing happened - my momma told me the same thing today, so we shot in a little gym in my house. I just wanted to try something different."

Shaq is textbook at poor free-throw shooting

It screams through consecrated air space with a chilling disregard for doomsday bystanders.

It has no empathy. It also has no soul, amazingly slim trajectory and very little chance.

Instead of respecting the intended target, it barges into this vulnerable intersection with the nonchalance of a lightning bolt.

As the recoil generates a vacuum of amazement and fear within the impact zone, the bystanders begin preparing for the aftershock.

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It is the Shaquille O'Neal free throw, and Shaq was fouled in the act of shooting.

Before dissecting this brick of basketball trade, please note that O'Neal's free-throw shooting probably won't lose the NBA Finals for the Miami Heat. It didn't prevent Shaq and the Los Angeles Lakers from winning three consecutive championships, and will fail to stall O'Neal's march toward the Mount Rushmore of NBA centers.

But the Shaq free throw is hideous and more difficult to witness than Rosie O'Donnell squeezing into a pair of jeans.

It has been a subject of basketball debate since O'Neal stomped into the league back in 1992. Shaq bagged 59.2 percent of his free-throw attempts that season, but — in a rare statistical regression — has dipped to a career average of 50 percent and change. He did manage to make 62.2 percent of his Scuds during the 2002-2003 campaign, but has plummeted to career lows — 46.1 and 46.9 — while working in Miami.

His inability to convert during the Heat's two-game flop in Dallas has renewed international interest in this charity-stripe phenomenon.

While the Mavericks were claiming a 2-0 series advantage, Shaq was making free throws at a 12.5 percent clip. That doesn't even qualify as a proper gratuity.

It provoked a friend from Canada into asking me why O'Neal was so lousy at free-throwing shooting. Trying to avoid the painful details, I explained that Shaq isn't paid to shoot free throws. My friend then asked how much Shaq is paid per season. I said "More than $20 million, I think."

My friend mumbled something negative regarding Shaq, free throws and professionalism, provoking me to consider asking her why Steve Nash seems unable to guard a vending machine. Before I was able to make this snappy comeback, she asked if the Shaq free throw is beyond redemption.

The answer was the same as most of Michael Jordan's retirement declarations — 99 percent yes.

That 99 percent has been defined by O'Neal's failure to translate coaching — from multiple, qualified sources — into free-throw competence. According to eyewitnesses in L.A. and Miami, Shaq has wanted to become better, often returning to the team practice facility for late-night shooting practice.

Perhaps he feels more comfortable practicing free throws with nobody around to provide scrutiny. Unfortunately, most NBA games are witnessed by about 20,000 people.

But practice won't accomplish much if you're a shooter who clings to improper mechanics.

For the record, O'Neal is a textbook case on how to miss at the line.

(It should be noted that I teach shooting to kids who actually volunteer for this coaching. At post time, only a few of my pupils had put an eye out while shooting free throws.)

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Let's begin at Shaq's knees, which should be slightly flexed and prepared to straighten in a smooth manner as he lifts the ball into shooting position. Although a 7-foot-2, 330-pound man doesn't require distance-generating influence from his lower body, the rise from a reasonable knee bend will assist the shot's rhythm.

The O'Neal free throw exhibits less rhythm than the dance floor at a private school. Once a shooter leaves the set position, the shot should proceed — uninterrupted — in one smooth stroke. The Shaq free throw is balky and unexpected, inviting potential rebounders to commit lane violations while seeking cover.

Now that O'Neal's lack of rhythm has been entertained, let's examine the load point for his shot. Unlike most shooters — who bring the ball to the aforementioned set position about chest or neck high — Shaq immediately brings the rock to a point just above his head.

This is fine for keeping the ball away from smaller player (everyone else) during shots in the paint, but is a damning feature for any shot taken outside, oh, 10 feet.

The higher load point prevents Shaq's shooting arm from fully extending while the ball is being lifted to the release point. Without full triceps-elbow extension in one fluid motion, it's nearly impossible to create a suitable arc on the shot.

Why is this bad?

Well, think of shooting in terms of the good, ol' parabola. According to one of my old coaches, the parabola has something to do with the planed curve, conic sections and the intersected cone.

Anyway, when the shot arrives in an almost straight-line trajectory, the percentage of the rim opening is far less than what's available to a ball approaching from a steeper angle.

With the parabola ignored, Shaq's free throw usually is flatter than an open beer.

O'Neal's elbow drive is further diminished by arms that are positioned a bit too far away from his torso. This prevents Shaq from keeping his elbow under the ball — a big key in future parabola issues — during his shooting motion.

This troublesome elbow also sabotages the O'Neal free throw by failing to consistently begin (and end) while aligned with the target. With the elbow askew, it's very difficult for the wrist to follow through directly at the basket.

Last, but not least, in the O'Neal hit-the-rim parade is his release. Based on years of observation, there seems to be almost zero wrist flip and follow through.

Think of the Shaq free throw as lobbing a grenade. In grenade-lobbing, backspin usually is avoided because ballpark accuracy may suffice in the blowing-up process.

But in free-throw shooting, backspin often allows the less-than-perfect shot to stay around the rim long enough to accidentally fall in. Without backspin, O'Neal's frequent miscalculations don't come off the rim as rebounds. They're ricochets.

This inability to bag free throws has limited valuable fourth-quarter options for Shaq's teams. With Hack-a-Shaq in the offing, pitching the ball into the post becomes a liability.

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Like Wilt Chamberlain, poor free-throwing shooting didn't preclude Shaq's greatness, but it has diluted it a bit.

A missed free throw is to O'Neal as that accent is to Schwarzenegger ... seemingly impossible to get rid of, but not enough of a handicap to prevent overall success.

The light-hearted approach to reconciling Shaq's free-throw danger will continue until someone gets seriously injured.

Rules will be proposed. Precautions will be taken.

Please note that if he's assigned to rebound the O'Neal free throw, even Ben Roethlisberger would consider wearing a helmet.

Mavericks take 2-0 series lead over Heat

Jerry Stackhouse scored 19 points and Josh Howard had 15 - and both converted four-point plays during the decisive runs in Dallas' 99-85 victory in Game 2 on Sunday night, sending the Mavericks to Miami with their sights on the franchise's first title.

Dirk Nowitzki's supporting cast made the biggest plays in this one-sided romp, but the German star shook off his Game 1 jitters to get 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Mavericks. With the game nearly out of reach in the third quarter, Dallas kept its celebrations calm and professional.

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Clearly, the Mavs have bigger goals in mind.

"We haven't really done anything," Nowitzki said. "We won two games at home. We know they are a different animal at home. Shaq and Dwyane, they are going to get their troops ready to play."

Game 3 is Tuesday night in Miami, and a two-game deficit has only been overcome twice in NBA finals history.

Led by Stackhouse, Howard and Jason Terry, who had 16 points, Dallas' offense was effortless and exciting. The Mavs buried the disorganized Heat with waves of points that included a 27-6 run in the second quarter.

"We feel that this is an opportunity for us," Stackhouse said. "We want to do all we can to prepare ourselves to be able to fulfill a dream of ours, and fulfill the dream of our city. We're one more step closer to that."

Both Stackhouse and Howard even converted four-point plays - the elusive act of hitting 3-pointers while getting fouled. There were just six four-point plays in NBA finals history before the game, and Dallas was the first team ever to get two in the same game.

But the Mavericks did something much more historic and important on the other end: They limited O'Neal to his worst postseason performance. In 190 career playoff games, Shaq finished with a single-digit point total just three times.

"It was a team effort," Nowitzki said. "No one can stop Shaq one-on-one. It was a team effort, and our big men did a decent job."

O'Neal scored on the Heat's very first possession while being fouled, but he missed the ensuing free throw - and then went 20 1/2 minutes without another basket, taking just five shots all night. Shaq's frustration grew with every possession, contributing to his 1-of-7 free throw shooting after going 1-for-9 in the opener.

O'Neal, who was 2-for-5 from the field - both career playoff lows - spent the final 15 minutes on the bench after Dallas went ahead by 25 points. Shaq, who called himself "quotacious" earlier in the series, didn't speak to reporters afterward.

O'Neal was fined $10,000 for failing to appear in the postgame interview room, and the Heat were docked $25,000, the NBA said.

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"We need to get him the basketball, but this game was about another team's competitiveness and energy," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "They doubled him every single time he caught the ball."

Dwyane Wade scored 16 of his 23 points after halftime on 6-of-19 shooting, and was almost as invisible as his bigger teammate for long stretches against Howard's defense. Antoine Walker scored 20 points, hitting four 3-pointers.

"This series is far from over," Walker said. "We know that, and hopefully they know that. We're a veteran group of guys. A lot of us have worked our whole career to get to this point, and we ain't going to lay down now."

Miami trimmed the lead to 12 points in the final minutes with Alonzo Mourning in the middle, but Nowitzki carried Dallas to another festive finish after a 90-80 victory in Game 1.

Only Boston (1969) and Portland (1977) have rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win the finals. Unless the Heat figure out a solution to the group malaise that's left Wade on the perimeter and kept the ball away from O'Neal, their season will be over in a few days.

Stackhouse scored 10 points in the final 1:19 of the first half, capping the first dominant run of the series. The veteran gunner, who now embraces a supporting role in Dallas after starring for worse teams in other cities, hit three 3-pointers and converted his four-point play to elate the crowd.

Cuban, one of the more visible owners in the NBA, again updated his online blog throughout the night, from his pregame meal at a local convenience store to a halftime entry titled "S-T-A-C-K."

Dallas also played the best defensive half in franchise playoff history, holding Miami to 34 points in the first half - after limiting the Heat to 36 in the second half of Game 1. Coach Avery Johnson surely won't credit his defense for those numbers - not after watching the Heat's discombobulated effort on offense.

The Mavericks even surprised themselves with their effort against O'Neal.

After holding O'Neal to 17 points in the opener, they spent the last two days anticipated a Shaq-splosion: Before the game, Johnson said he had "350 pounds on my mind," referring to Shaq's rumored weight.

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After struggling to score in the final three quarters of Game 1, the Heat vowed to get the ball to O'Neal early and often. They only got it half-right: Shaq scored while drawing a foul on Miami's first possession, but missed the ensuing free throw - and then didn't get another field goal for an incredible 20 1/2 minutes.

O'Neal's frustration visibly grew with nearly every possession, and he passed out of Dallas' double-teams almost before they arrived. His teammates couldn't score consistently around him, and Wade's frustration showed with a technical foul for the normally mild-mannered star.

O'Neal struggles in Game 1 for Heat

Shaquille O'Neal handled everything the Dallas Mavericks threw his way. He spun past single defenders for dunks. He found open Miami teammates when double-teams came, setting up easy hoops.

No, O'Neal's biggest problem - as usual - came when no defenders were anywhere near him.

His free throw shooting woes reared up again Thursday night, spoiling his return to the NBA finals. O'Neal missed eight of his nine attempts from the free-throw line in Game 1, a major contributing factor in the Heat's 90-80 loss to the Mavericks.

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"I know that if I want my team to win a championship, I have to step up to the line and hit them," O'Neal said. "And I will. I was just thinking about it a little too much. We still had a lot of opportunities to win the game, and on Sunday, look for me to shoot a little bit better."

Really, though, he couldn't shoot much worse.

O'Neal missed his first eight attempts from the line in Game 1, and that doesn't even include two misses nullified by lane violations. He was 8-for-11 from the field, but never really got rolling on the sort of dominant run that he used to carry the Los Angeles Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000 through 2002.

"He only got 11 shots," Heat guard Gary Payton said. "He has to shoot more to be productive."

Afterward, O'Neal took the blame.

But his superstar teammate said he shouldn't carry all the burden.

"He did get the ball some, they double-teamed up, but we've got to do a better job of finding him," said Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who had 28 points. "And not only on the set plays, but also when he's going to the basket, getting him the ball. I had opportunities tonight to give it to him myself. ... I think it'll be a focal point going into the next game."

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For the second time in their last three playoff games, the Heat were mindbogglingly bad from the foul line. They were 6-for-20 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals at Detroit, a stat that played a key role in a 91-78 defeat that night.

In Game 1 of the finals, Miami struggled nearly as much from the stripe, missing 12 of its 19 tries. Most of those struggles came from O'Neal, of course. Wade was 6-for-10, and everyone else wearing the red Heat road uniforms combined to shoot exactly 0-for-0 from the line.

Dallas, meanwhile, was 20-for-26 from the foul line.

And that was the difference.

"We were horrendous from the free throw line," Heat coach Pat Riley said.

How bad was it? The Heat's 36.8-percent success rate from the line was the lowest in NBA finals history, worse than the Chicago Bulls' 41.7 (5-for-12) clip against Utah exactly nine years ago to the day.

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He did have back-to-back dunks to spark a 7-0 Miami run that cut a 10-point deficit down to an 82-79 margin with 4:22 remaining, but the rally ended there. The Heat only scored one more point the rest of the way - an O'Neal free throw with 55.6 seconds left.

Now, the Heat get two days to figure out how to get more from O'Neal; Game 2 is Sunday night.

"We had a lot of silly and mental mistakes, just doing things that we're not really accustomed to," O'Neal said.

Mavs know all too well about O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal has always given himself colorful, timely nicknames. With his Miami Heat about to open the NBA finals against the Dallas Mavericks, here's a new one he could consider: The Mavs Masher.

He certainly has the numbers to back it up.

Over 36 career games against Dallas, O'Neal has averaged 29.3 points. That's his most against any team and it's tops of any player who has ever faced the Mavericks more than six times.

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O'Neal also has been good for 12.2 rebounds per game against them, which ranks near the top of all Dallas foes while being only a half-board per game above his leaguewide average.

Dooming as it all may sound, the stats come with a disclaimer: Most were rung up against the likes of Shawn Bradley and other helpless defenders. Those guys may have had O'Neal's height or bulk, but none had both - and many had neither.

The Mavericks are better equipped this time around, with a pure center tandem of DeSagana Diop and Erick Dampier. They won't stop O'Neal, but Dallas coach Avery Johnson is hoping that together they might be able to slow the Diesel.

"You need bodies," Johnson said Monday. "We've got two big bodies now."

The O'Neal-Dampier matchup comes with an interesting back story.

Two summers ago, when O'Neal was being shopped by the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks dreamed of finally plugging their gaping hole in the middle by adding the ultimate big man. He liked the idea of going to Dallas, too, but the Lakers weren't about to send him to a conference rival, so he wound up on the other coast. Dallas ended up lavishing a huge contract on Dampier.

Around that time, Dampier proclaimed himself the second-best center in the NBA, presumably behind the Big You-Know-Who.

Whether those things were factors or not, Shaq began a war of words with Dampier the next time they met in Dallas. The Mavs won a tight game, with Dampier forcing O'Neal into two late misses. Afterward, O'Neal said: "Damp is soft. Quote it, write it, tape it and send it to him. I tell you, there's nothing there."

Then, when Dampier struggled in the playoffs last year, O'Neal used him as a punch line, saying that a leg injury was causing him to play "like Erick Dampier."

O'Neal is taking the high road now, saying he was just messing around back then.

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"He's a good center, been playing well, him and Mr. Diop, they've been playing very well," O'Neal said. "We ain't going to make this series about words. It's two organizations that have never been there, two classy organizations. We're going to do this the right way and just duke it out on the basketball court."

Dampier also would rather settle things under the basket instead of in print.

"I think that's behind us now," he said. "We're both trying to win a world championship. I don't need any motivation. Just go out and play."

Dampier stressed the importance of beating O'Neal down the court, then preventing him from getting to his favorite spots on the floor. That basically means pushing him as far from the basket as possible. He also noted that it won't be easy since O'Neal gets the ball so often.

However Dallas defends O'Neal, it won't be a gut decision. The Mavs often base their lineups on statistical analysis of their opponent's various lineup combinations, so they know which type of player is best suited to be on the court at a specific time.

In the Western Conference finals, Dallas used the more athletic Diop and other smaller, quicker players because the Phoenix Suns didn't use a true center. Dampier was limited to 24 minutes over six games; the fact Shaq didn't crack wise about that shows he's on his best behavior.

"Even though I had lot of games of rest, I should be ready for this series," Dampier said. "I kept a good attitude. I tried to still work at practice, keep myself in game shape."

Veteran Jerry Stackhouse said the Mavericks can't worry too much about O'Neal. He even supported that contrarian view with a strong reference point: Tim Duncan.

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The Big Fundamental, as O'Neal dubbed him, averaged 32.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game against Dallas in the second round, but the Mavericks won the series.

"Shaq's going to get points, he's going to get some easy opportunities, just don't get discouraged about that," Stackhouse said. "We didn't get discouraged by Tim Duncan. Those are just things that can happen. True dominant players are going to find a way to get their numbers. We have to find a way to control the other guys."

One thing Duncan and Diop must especially avoid is foul trouble. Third-string center D.J. Mbenga is suspended from the first four games, leaving spindly Keith Van Horn or Dirk Nowitzki as the next option.

Of course, fouling O'Neal isn't such a bad thing considering how poorly he shoots free throws. It's worth noting that the Hack-a-Shaq strategy was started by Dallas, when Johnson's predecessor Don Nelson was at his wit's end trying to stop O'Neal from, well, mashing the Mavs.

Big deal in Big D: Mavs in the NBA Finals

Like most longtime Dallas Mavericks fans, Mark Cuban remembers the bad old days, when "postseason play" meant being part of the draft lottery.

Boy, how times have changed.

Injected with Cuban's cash, Dirk Nowitzki's jumper and Avery Johnson's leadership, the Mavs are headed to the NBA finals for the first time, starting Thursday night at home against the Miami Heat.

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"We're excited, obviously," Johnson said after the Mavericks erased an 18-point deficit to beat Phoenix 102-93 Saturday night and earn the silver trophy that goes to the Western Conference champion. "Nobody is ripping their shirts off or going too crazy, but they should celebrate.

"But we know we still have a lot of work ahead of us."

With the Mavs taking Sunday off and several days after that to delve into how they will try slowing Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, it's worth looking back at how far this franchise has come, both over the long term of its 26 years and the short term of an uncertain start to this season.

The Mavericks were born in 1980, became contenders amazingly quickly, then faded faster than you can say Roy Tarpley. They were so bad in the 1990s that they had the lowest winning percentage of any team in major pro sports in North America - yes, even worse than the Clippers.

"You could walk up two minutes before game time and buy a front-row seat for $10," said Cuban, a cheap-seat regular long before he became an Internet billionaire.

When he bought the team in January 2000, Dallas was 9-23 and well on its way to collecting lottery pingpong balls for a 10th straight year.

"Just to speculate we would make the playoffs in the next five years was heresy," Cuban recalled Saturday night in Phoenix, wearing his new Western Conference champion hat and T-shirt. "Now, we've gotten to this."

Beyond making the finals, Dallas has re-established itself as a playoff perennial. The Mavs have made six straight trips to the playoffs, the longest run in team history, and done so with only one constant: Nowitzki.

While the players, coaches and even the home court have changed, the most important shift was the dedication to defense that Johnson brought when he replaced Don Nelson late last season.

"He demanded it," said Donnie Nelson, the team's president of basketball operations and Don Nelson's son. "That's the difference."

The way Nowitzki and the Mavs have played lately, this finals breakthrough isn't surprising. Think back to October and it's a different story.

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Dallas was widely seen as a middle-of-the pack playoff team, with the ever-improving Nowitzki leading the way, a deep rotation of solid players around him and Johnson, in his first full season, having to sort it all out.

The top story line was Doug Christie replacing longtime star Michael Finley. Christie ended up being gone quickly and Adrian Griffin, who was sitting on a sofa waiting for his phone to ring, ended up becoming the designated defender in the starting lineup.

Injuries were a big challenge, too. It was never anything like Phoenix losing Amare Stoudemire, but for a long while it seemed like every time someone came out of the trainer's room, someone else went in.

"I missed the first 20-some games of the season, then we had other guys that were injured," forward Jerry Stackhouse said. "And we were still able to just hold everything together. I think that built a lot of character for our team."

Johnson's biggest in-season move was making a starter of DeSagana Diop - until then, known only for being a huge bust in Cleveland - and turning Erick Dampier into a high-priced reserve. All the Mavericks did after that was win 13 straight games and 20 of 21.

Asked Saturday if that's when he knew this might be a special team, Johnson instead pointed to their only three-game losing streak, all on the road in late March.

"From the beginning, I thought we could be very competitive and I thought we would have a chance," said Johnson, who coached the West in the All-Star game and was voted the coach of the year. "But you never really know how it's going to turn out."

Dallas wound up tying a franchise record with 60 wins. Josh Howard established himself as a terrific player at both ends of the court and Jason Terry proved to be a reliable scorer and a clutch shooter. Nowitzki finished third in MVP voting for a second straight year and likely would win if the voting was done now.

The Mavs were the only team to pull off a first-round sweep, then they outlasted the defending champion Spurs in a tense seven-game series. They knocked the Suns out in six games, despite losing the opener at home and dropping Game 4 by 20 points.

In the finale, Dallas was awful early, but got within 12 at halftime. The defense kicked in during the third quarter and the offense broke things open in the fourth.

"It's about sticking together when you're down and when you're up," Nowitzki said. "You have to believe in the coach and the system, and I think ultimately that's what we did."

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What they've done is something the 25 previous Mavs teams couldn't.

And there's still one round left.

"The expectations just grow," Cuban said. "Now, we're not a team that couldn't make it, we're not a team that's soft. We're a team that's going to the finals."

Shaq, Wade lead Heat's way to NBA Finals

There was no champagne. Not yet, anyway.

After an offseason of often-criticized changes Pat Riley made to surround his superstars with more talent, the Miami Heat broke through to new heights - and have no intention to stop climbing now.

"The job," Shaquille O'Neal said, "is not done."

Ah, but there's only one more step - the NBA Finals, where the Heat are headed for the first time.

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O'Neal had 28 points and 16 rebounds and Dwyane Wade - who spent part of his day in a hospital battling dehydration and flu-like symptoms - added 14 points as the Heat ended the Detroit Pistons' two-year reign as Eastern Conference champions with an 95-78 win Friday.

Jason Williams, one of Riley's prized and numerous offseason additions, came up huge with Wade lagging in Game 6, scoring 21 points on 10-for-12 shooting.

The Heat now await either Dallas or Phoenix in the Finals, which start Thursday.

"We know right now, we still have a job ahead of us," Heat forward James Posey, another newcomer - like Gary Payton and Antoine Walker, two title-starved veterans - brought in last summer by Riley in a quest to surround his big guns with extra firepower. "We're not going to get too high right now. We're not going to get too low. Four more wins - that's the most important thing."

The party started early. Wade walked off with 1:45 left, right index finger raised before he slapped Riley's hand. And after the final second ticked off, white streamers fell from the ceiling as the Heat players waved championship caps and T-shirts. Soon, though, O'Neal issued an expected warning.

"We're not done," he said.

Richard Hamilton had 33 points for Detroit, which finished the regular season with an NBA-best 64-18 record and came in confident after ending Miami's season here a year ago in Game 7 - in part because Wade and O'Neal were battling injury.

Wade clearly wasn't at his best Friday.

O'Neal was. Hence, the difference. He made 12 of 14 shots, making sure this chance wouldn't slip away.

"Miami played great," Hamilton said. "They deserved it."

And the proud Pistons weren't shy about showing their respect to the new East champs. Rasheed Wallace hugged several Miami players before leaving the court, and Tayshaun Prince said "Miami was definitely the better team."

"I don't want to make excuses," Pistons guard Chauncey Billups said. "They flat-out beat us."

Detroit only shot 33 percent in the game, with Billups going 3-for-14 and Rasheed Wallace going 4-for-12. The Pistons were outrebounded 48-39 and, perhaps most telling, let the Heat shoot 56 percent from the floor - after insisting that defense would be their top priority.

"We didn't play how we play," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said.

Wade was 1-for-6 with four points in the first half. Didn't matter. O'Neal and Williams more than carried the early scoring load, helping stake Miami to an 47-36 lead at intermission.

"Jason Williams," Wade said, "did an unbelievable job tonight."

O'Neal was 9-for-11 from the field for 19 points in the opening two quarters, his biggest first-half effort so far in these playoffs. And Williams - who was 13-for-30 from the floor in the first five games - was 5-for-5 in the half, the last of those a pullup with 4:14 left that gave Miami a 38-27 lead.

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Detroit got within 40-33 on a pair of free throws by Hamilton with 2:52 left, but O'Neal scored six straight Miami points in a span of 2:05 and sparked a half-closing 8-3 run by the Heat.

And really, the outcome was never in doubt. The Pistons were within 10 midway through the third quarter, when Wade - who missed the first 2 1/2 minutes of the second half and remained in the locker room, getting IVs to help with his hydration - finally started to roll.

He had 10 points in the quarter, hitting his last four shots - including a jumper with 1 second left for a 72-53 lead, as the sellout crowd began going delirious, the realization that the franchise's 18-year-itch was about to be scratched.

"I just wanted to help my teammates," Wade said. "And God gave me the strength."

Hamilton and the Pistons made one more run, his jumper with 6:24 left getting Detroit within 80-67. He made a steal 17 seconds later, but O'Neal blocked his layup - then followed with a dunk on the other end, as Wade pumped his fist and Riley clapped knowingly.

Minutes later, the championship was theirs.

Riley and owner Micky Arison stood arm-in-arm as they awaited the presentation of the Eastern Conference championship trophy from NBA vice president Stu Jackson. Alonzo Mourning - the face of this franchise for so long - stood behind them, nodding and holding a finger aloft.

"I'm happy and pleased for Micky Arison, who did everything in his power to get to this point," Mourning said. "We went through a lot of pain as a franchise over the years."

Then Riley lifted the silver trophy, as a sea of players' hands reached in for a touch - with one notable exception.

"I only celebrate it," O'Neal said, "when it's really over. ... The job is not done."

Riley is taking his third team to the Finals, after the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s and the blue-collar Knicks of the mid-1990s. He came here a decade ago, envisioning a parade down Biscayne Boulevard.

He's never been closer.

"Jason, myself and Posey, we wanted to prove that coach didn't make the wrong decisions," Walker said. "Everybody on this team made a lot of sacrifices and it's all coming together at the right time."

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And O'Neal is now about to wear his third jersey in the Finals. He got Orlando there, then took the Lakers there four times - winning three titles, the lone defeat coming in 2004 to the Pistons, who also ended his first season in Miami.

"Four more wins," O'Neal said, "and we'll be all right."

They'll be more than all right. They'll be champions.

Pistons avoid elimination, force Game 6

Detroit's defense would not let the Pistons' season end.

The Pistons got back to their swarming ways when the Miami Heat had the ball, and Tayshaun Prince scored a career playoff-high 29 points to lift Detroit to a 91-78 win Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Heat did not score in the final 3 1/2 minutes while Detroit pulled away with the last nine points of the game. Miami also hurt itself by going 6-of-20 from the free throw line.

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"We just came out aggressive like we talked about and played Pistons basketball," Chauncey Billups said. "There's pressure on them now, now that they are home."

Miami hosts Game 6 on Friday night with a chance to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

"Ain't no pressure on us at all, we have a golden opportunity to win Game 6 on our home floor," Miami's Dwyane Wade said. "They're the defending conference champions, there's no pressure on us."

Wade scored a series-low 23 points - eight below his previous series average - and Shaquille O'Neal had 19 points for the Heat.

Billups had 17 points and 10 assists, Richard Hamilton had 16 points and a career playoff-high 10 rebounds, and reserve Antonio McDyess provided a boost with 10 of his 12 points coming after halftime.

Miami, which trailed by as much as 11 in the first half, made it 51-all early in the third quarter.

Detroit's defense created a little cushion in what was a tightly contest game for much of the night.

Prince had a steal and a dunk, then on the ensuing possession Ben Wallace brought the crowd to its feet.

Just when O'Neal was about to throw down another one of his backboard-shaking dunks, the 6-foot-7 Wallace leaped and stunted O'Neal's slam - forcing a jump ball, and putting the 7-1 O'Neal on his back.

"It was a big play - a momentum-changer," Wallace said.

About a minute later, Wallace's three-point play - yes, he made the free throw - gave the Pistons a 60-53 lead.

"Everybody brought energy," Prince said. "When we move, we're a better basketball team."

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Detroit had a 73-65 lead after three quarters, and Prince had already tied his career playoff-high with 24 points. The Pistons stayed in control during the final quarter.

"They took their defense up to another level," Miami coach Pat Riley said. "It was very intense."

Despite the loss, history says the Heat will reach the NBA Finals for the first time. Teams leading conference or division finals 3-1, like Miami was against Detroit, have advanced 40 of 43 times and 16 straight.

But the Pistons have been a trend-breaking team with their comebacks while becoming the first team since the Chicago Bulls of the early 1990s to reach the conference finals in four straight years.

With four of its current starters playing key roles, Detroit rallied to advance after trailing the Orlando Magic 3-1 in the first round of the 2003 playoffs.

That became the first of four 3-2 deficits the Pistons have overcome the past four postseasons - including last year's Eastern Conference finals against Miami, and the previous round this year against Cleveland.

Entering the game, Wade was averaging nearly 31 points and making almost 70 percent of his shots while O'Neal was averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pistons missed six of their first seven shots - perhaps showing some nerves with their season and reputation on the line - but trailed by just three points.

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Four Pistons contributed to an 8-0 run that put them ahead 10-5 and maintained the lead and were up 25-20 at halftime.

Another combination of four Pistons combined to score eight unanswered points, putting Detroit ahead 35-24 - its largest lead up to that point. Miami responded with a 16-4 run, taking the lead on Wade's dunk off Alonzo Mourning's full-court pass.

Detroit led 47-43 at halftime, with Prince and Hamilton combining or 19 of its points and Wade being held to 10 points - his lowest total at halftime in the series.