|
|
|
Tuesday, February 13, 2001
O'Neal's block on Marbury keys win
Associated Press
|
| |  | |
| O'Neal |
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --Shaquille O'Neal returned to the
Los Angeles Lakers' lineup on Tuesday night without showing any ill
effects from a two-week layoff caused by a strained arch in his
right foot.
O'Neal had 32 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five blocks
in 43 minutes in helping the Lakers to a 113-110 overtime victory
over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.
"I felt pretty good," O'Neal said after playing for the first
time since Jan. 26. "I was anxious to get back and start the
second half with a vengence, and I believe I started on a pretty
good note tonight."
O'Neal, who had missed six games, hit 10 of 18 shots from the
field and 12 of 24 free throws. Last year's MVP also had a key
block of Stephon Marbury's shot in the overtime that set up a
game-tying basket by Tyronn Lue.
The block came with the Lakers trailing 110-108 with less than a
minute to play.
"Stephon got around me, but I knew Shaq was there," Lue said.
"Horace Grant got the rebound, kicked it out to me and there was
only one person to beat."
Lakers coach Phil Jackson said O'Neal seemed a little winded in
the first half.
"But in the second half, he was fresh," Jackson said. "He had
those lively legs. His timing was a little off and so was his
shot."
Los Angeles needed O'Neal on Tuesday night to help Kobe Bryant
offset a career-high 50 point performance by Marbury.
Bryant finished with 38 points, including a game-winning
three-point play with 4.8 seconds left in overtime.
"Every great team has a great one-two punch and that's what
Kobe and I give this team," O'Neal said. "When we play like we
did tonight and everybody contributes, we're tough to beat."
O'Neal said his foot is still a little sore, but it's probably
something he will have to live with the rest of the season.
The Lakers travel to Philadelphia for a game with the Sixers on
Wednesday night.
The Lakers, who started a six-game post All-Srar break road
trip, were 4-2 without O'Neal. They have now won four games in a
row.  Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
Shaq returns, Kobe outduels Marbury in OT thriller
|
|
