O'Neal Not On the Trading Block

MIAMI - The Miami Heat, beaten in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Bulls, said on Wednesday they will not trade center Shaquille O'Neal.

"Amongst growing speculation in the media, in reference to Shaq, I want to set the record straight and say that we are not trading Shaq," coach Pat Riley said in a statement.

Miami won the championship last season but were swept by the Bulls in four straight this year, sparking speculation that O'Neal was on the trading block.

A 14-times All-Star, the 7-foot-1 O'Neal averaged a career-low 17.3 points per game this year but was sidelined for more than half the season with a variety of injuries.

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Jason Terry scored 28 points, Dirk Nowitzki had 23 and Josh Howard led a 15-2 run in the third quarter that sent the Mavericks to a 112-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night, evening their first-round series.

Dallas had lost six straight to Golden State dating to last season. The Mavericks' search for a skid-buster included a new, smaller starting lineup in Game 1, but that only resulted in a 12-point loss.

So coach Avery Johnson went back to the formula that won 67 games in the regular season and saw his club back in synch from the start. The center tandem of Erick Dampier and DeSagana Diop proved they can hold their own against Golden State's little guys, and sixth man Jerry Stackhouse bounced back from a scoreless opener to put up 17 points.

"Everybody talked about the Xs and Os and the decision Avery made to go smaller, but it really wasn't that," Stackhouse said. "It was just the fact we didn't compete. I thought we came out and really competed tonight for 48 minutes and the game went in our favor."

Then again, it was easier with the Warriors' two best players getting ejected.

Baron Davis was tossed with 0.2 seconds left in the third quarter and Stephen Jackson was lost with 4:34 left in the game. Golden State already was trailing when the technical fouls started piling up.

"We're not good enough to lose a player to an ejection, much less two," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "It hurt us when we lost Baron. I thought we had a shot at the time. It wasn't to be."

The series shifts to Oakland for Game 3 on Friday night, and there's little doubt the emotions will remain high.

The Warriors certainly won't be unhinged by this loss, just their second in the last 12 games. Nelson won't allow it. He's kept his club loose, telling everyone they were lucky to win the opener and that there was a better chance of him being hit by lightning than of his team winning Game 2. His task now will be harnessing Jackson and Davis' emotions.

Johnson expected Dallas to bounce back strong. The Mavericks have lost consecutive games only once since starting the season 0-4, and last year they recovered from two Game 1 losses to win Game 2 both times. They went on to win both series, too.

Still, this victory was a bit of a relief to the Mavs because it ended a five-game postseason losing streak that started in last year's NBA finals and it should quiet talk of Nellie and the Warriors having their number.

"We needed to turn it up," said Howard, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds. "They were aggressive at the start of the last game and we didn't respond. This time, we turned it around."

Dallas was finishing off its game-changing stretch when things started getting out of control.

The bad blood started when Terry dribbled into Jackson, drawing a foul, then kept going into Davis. Words were exchanged and there was some shoving, but officials broke it up by giving those three players technical fouls.

Davis got another tech, and an automatic ejection, for arguing about a foul with 0.2 seconds left in the third quarter. He was smiling and clapping at the time, which he said was to keep his teammates' spirits up.

"I wasn't trying to show up the refs," he said. "I was trying to keep my emotions in check. Emotion is what got us to the playoffs. We have to channel that emotion into playing better defense."

The game was turning into a rout when Jackson got his second technical. Whatever he said to get tossed wasn't nearly as bad as his reaction afterward. He wouldn't stop screaming at officials as he headed to the locker room, with teammate Matt Barnes trying to cover Jackson's mouth with his arms, then with a towel.

Jackson, who declined to comment, led the Warriors with 30 points, his most ever in a playoff game. He also had eight turnovers. Davis had 13 points, two assists and one rebound; he had 33 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in Golden State's victory in the opener.

"I feel we're in good position," Davis said. "They're supposed to beat us by 20. There's no pressure on us. Tonight we were just out of fire."

Golden State opened the game strong, going on an 11-0 run in the opening minutes. The Warriors were up 23-16 soon after, but all their points had come from Jackson and Monta Ellis. That duo was a combined 9-of-10; everyone else was 0-for-8.

Ellis had 13 points in the first quarter but didn't score again until the final minute of the third quarter. He finished with 20 points. Jason Richardson had 14 with 10 rebounds.

Howard filled his stat sheet with five steals and two blocks. Nowitzki was 7-of-15 with seven rebounds.

"It was a physical game and emotional," Nowitzki said. "I think they got us in the first game and took us out of our game. I said after Game 1 we need to execute a lot better. We made a couple of adjustments that worked. Now they'll make adjustments going home and we'll go from there."

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(NBA's) The Matrix

Some songs are so over played till it makes you sick, so quotes are so overused till it makes you mad, one thing that is starting to make me both sick and mad, is the saying that Shawn Marion is underappreciated.

One thing I should be mention before I get into this. He has one of the coolest/bad ass nicknames in the league, The Matrix, this is how he signs his name, people who know him call him 'Trix.

First of all He is the highest paid player on a team that includes the 2 time MVP (nash), Rookie of the year (Amare) and sixth man of the year (barbosa). Second, 'Trix always complains that he does what he does with no plays run for him, but in the Suns system who needs plays run for them!!! All you have to do is run the floor or make yourself open and Nash will find you. And what about that high post screen-and-roll with Boris Diaw that they run twice a game? when was the last time that failed?!

Third, no one around Shawn treats him like he's not the best at what he does. "If San Antonio calls and offers Tim Duncan and Ginobili maybe we'll think about it", that is what coach D'Antoni said when was asked if they're willing to trade Shawn Marion. Also, Amare , who's no short on arrogance and ego, has respect for Shawn's game and always makes a point to speak highly of him.

I thought deep inside, Shawn knew it. But last week I read on ESPN an interview titled "The invisible man"!! Come on!! In the interview Shawn entertains the idea of going to a medicore team to show what he can do. This is B.S.! I think he needs to get Joe Johnson on his speed dial right now, ask him how it feels to lose more around 100 games in 2 seasons. Shawn is already on everyone's top ten players list, he's a top 3 fantasy player for everyone, what more recognition does he expect to get??

Well he's not going to get the attention Kobe or LeBron get, NEVER. Shawn can't create his own shot, he doesn't have the mechanics. He's also still to perform steadily in the playoffs. I know Shawn complains about people not mentioning the good things he does, but he's gotta ackknowledge the flaws in his game. Trade Shawn for KG and it won't make the T'wolves a better team, but it'll win the Suns a championship. Shawn has played with two of the top point guards of our time, Nash and J-Kidd, imagine him playing off Marco Jaric, something gotta give.

Bottom line is: Matrix you'll loved appreciated and indespensible to your team and they know it. Guess it's about time you relize that.

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Gator Championship: Florida 84, Ohio State 75

Florida juniors Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer all could have declared for the NBA draft after the Gators won their first ever national championship last year.

They all would have been first-round picks. But they opted to come back for one last hurrah and wound up dancing on the podium here Monday after defeating Ohio State, 84-75, at the Georgia Dome to become the first team since Duke in 1992 to repeat. Maybe that is why they are destined to be labeled one of the great teams in modern history.

"You can argue it,'' Brewer said, "but you got to put us up there. Some guy was talking on TV, a little motivation, saying we're not even in the top five teams to play the game if we win the national championship. He might want to do his research. The numbers don't lie, you know, back to back.''

Brewer will always have a soft spot in the hearts of Gator fans. Unlike Noah, whose father played pro tennis; or Horford, whose father played in the NBA, Brewer's 62-year old father Pee Wee worked on a Tobacco farm in Portland, Tenn. before he suffered heart problems in 1999 and then contracted diabetes. Doctors had to amputate his left leg below the knee in November, so there were serious financial considerations since his mother has to pay all the bills on her teacher's salary.

But his father helped him make his decision when he called and told him he didn't have to go to the NBA for his family. "My mom and dad both said it was about being happy and what's best for you,'' Brewer said. "Don't let other people push you out the door or try to make you stay. If you're happy with your teammates and where you're at, then come back. If you want to go, go.

"I'm confident I made the right decision. Me and my teammates are all like family. Joakim and I have been together from Day 1. He's like my brother.''

Florida really has been a band of brothers, a close-knit group that reflects the genuine friendship of their coach Billy Donovan.

Brewer was the deserving recipient of the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award after scoring 19 points and shutting down UCLA's All American guard Aaron Afflalo in the semis, then scoring 13 points, grabbing eight rebounds and holding Ohio State's best perimeter shooter Ron Lewis without a three-point field goal in the final.

Brewer was on fire at the start of the game, making three of five 3s and scoring 11 points as the Gators raced to a 40-29 lead at the end of the first half.

"I felt we had to go out and be aggressive because if we just let them play with us, hang around, let them play with us, we may have a chance to get beat," Brewer said. "So we all went out there and we were really aggressive. My teammates were finding me in open spots and I had to knock them down.''

The Gators came up with a workable game plan, opting to single cover Ohio State's 7-foot freshman Greg Oden in the post and guard the 3-point line. Oden went off for 25 points and 12 rebounds in what is probably his last college game, but the Buckeyes shot just 4-for-23 from beyond the 3-point arc.

Oden will most likely declare for the NBA draft, where he should be the first player selected. But Brewer had this piece of advice for him:

"I'd tell him, 'Once you leave college, you can't be a kid anymore,''' Brewer said. "You're going into big business and it's all business. You're having fun right now, so enjoy college.''

Brewer certainly looked like he was enjoying the celebration as streamers fell from the rafters at the end of the game and CBS cued up "One Shining Moment.'' If this was the swan song for he, Noah and Horford, they wanted to embrace it.

"It's unreal,'' Brewer said. "One shining moment. It almost makes you want to cry. Second time I got to watch it, our team got to watch it, just to see what goes into people playing in the NCAA Tournament. That's why (you've got to) love college basketball, all the guys diving on the floor, everybody playing hard as they can play just to be in this moment where we are right now.''

The question now is: Does the trio of Gator juniors love college basketball enough to try for a three-peat?

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