Shaq gets the better of Kobe

MIAMI (AP) Shaquille (shuh-KEEL&#39;) O&#39;Neal and current all-star runningmate Dwyane (dwayn) Wade scored 18 points apiece to help the Miami Heat defeat the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 97-to-92. O&#39;Neal&#39;s former all-star partner in L-A, Kobe (KOH&#39;-bee) Bryant, led all scorers with 37 points, but missed a long three-pointer with two-point-one seconds left that would have tied the game.<br> <br> O&#39;Neal also grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds to help the Southeast Division leaders improve to 16-and-12. They have a three and a-half game lead over second place Washington.<br> <br> Gary Payton, another former teammate of Bryant&#39;s, tied a season high with 21 points, including a go-ahead three pointer with one-oh-five left in the game.<br> <br> The Lakers head to our nation&#39;s capital for a Monday night meeting with the Wizards after splitting the opening two games of their current road trip. Their 15-and-12 record is good for third in the Pacific Division, one and a-half games behind the first place L-A Clippers.<br> <br> The Heat host Milwaukee on Tuesday.<br> <br> (Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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