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The Miami Heat (6-8) and Detroit Pistons (9-5) face each
other tonight for the first time since the Eastern Conference
Finals. The Heat have played without Shaquille O'Neal for
the last eight games and are expected to be without him for
the next four to six weeks as he recovers from knee surgery.
SBG Global
reports that the betting public is counting on Detroit
to handle business on the road.
Miami has won its last two games, but is 4-6 without O'Neal.
''My brothers are out there struggling right now, and I should
be out there with them,'' Shaq said. ''It's very, very difficult
to watch.''
The Heat are coming off a 103-91 victory Monday over the Philadelphia
76ers. Dwyane Wade scored 33 points and Udonis Haslem added
18 and 10 rebounds. Wade is averaging 34.7 points and 13.3
assists his last three games. Miami also got 30 points from
its bench and shot a season-high 58.7 percent from the field.
''We had contributions from everybody tonight and it enabled
us to get the win,'' said Alonzo Mourning , who recorded a
season-high seven blocks. ''We have to get back to play well
at home again. ... We have to get back to more consistent
play.''
Detroit is a 3.5 point road favorite with a total of 192
at SBG
Global.
The Pistons started slow this year at 3-5, but have turned
it around. Many thought the slow start was due to the loss
of Ben Wallace, who left the team as a free agent over the
summer. Detroit has won six straight, including Saturday's
115-111 victory over the Washington Wizards. Chauncey Billups
scored 29 points and Tayshaun Prince added 21.
The Pistons have scored at least 100 points in five of the
six victories. ''One thing we have learned to do is be able
to play different styles. We're able to go small when people
go small. We're able to play in a fast-paced game. We're able
to play in some grind-it-out games,'' coach Flip Saunders
said. ''We're able to do a little bit of everything.''
Saunders said that he expects a close game tonight. ''Any
time the two teams put on their jerseys, it's just a natural
rivalry,'' he said. ''The two teams are going to compete against
each other. It's a healthy rivalry and that's what makes good
basketball.''
The last seven regular-season games have been decided by
an average of seven points.
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