NBA ROUNDUP : O’Neal Gets First Triple Double

Shaquille O’Neal got his first career triple double, scoring 24 points and adding career highs of 28 rebounds and 15 blocks as the Orlando Magic beat the New Jersey Nets, 87-85, at East Rutherford on Saturday night.

“I guess I played OK,” said O’Neal, who was playing despite a cold. “The change in weather bothers me. It’s hard to play in one city where it’s 40 degrees and the next where it’s 80. I knew I had a few blocks, but I didn’t realize I had 15. But if we had lost, it wouldn’t have meant anything.”

He was two shy of the NBA record for blocks set by Elmore Smith in 1973.

O’Neal entered the game as the NBA’s leading scorer with a 30.5 average.

Nick Anderson, who scored 25 points, got the final four points of the game as the Magic, which had lost two in a row and four of five, rallied for the victory.

Anderson tied the score, 85-85, with 1:22 to play when he made two free throws. Then, after O’Neal’s block against Armon Gilliam, Anderson took the ball the length of the court and scored with 58 seconds remaining.

O’Neal was 12 for 19 from the field and missed his only free throw.

San Antonio 101, Milwaukee 97--David Robinson scored 31 points and Willie Anderson added a season-high 28 for the Spurs at Milwaukee.

It was the Bucks’ eighth consecutive defeat.

Eric Murdock scored 20 and Ken Norman added 16 for the Bucks, who missed eight consecutive shots in the final three minutes. Milwaukee is 1-8 and nearing the worst start in team history--1-13 in 1974-75.

Phoenix 112, Cleveland 96--Charles Barkley had 28 points and 20 rebounds and Kevin Johnson scored 26 points for the Suns against the Cavaliers at Phoenix.

Each player had seven assists and Barkley took the edge off a last-ditch Cleveland rally with an assist to Dan Majerle after grabbing a defensive rebound with 3:40 left.

Mark Price’s 25 points paced the Cavaliers.

Denver 90, Minnesota 89-- Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf’s jumper from slightly inside the three-point line with 5.2 seconds lifted the Nuggets past the Timberwolves at Minneapolis.

Abdul-Rauf and Bryant Stith scored 22 points each for the Nuggets, who scored the final five points of the game.

Washington 104, Miami 102--Kevin Duckworth, enduring a one-for-seven shooting night, converted a three-point play for the Bullets with 5.1 seconds remaining against the Heat at the Baltimore Arena.

Duckworth scored on a jump hook and drew a foul from Miami’s Rony Seikaly, after two free throws by Harold Miner had given the Heat a 102-101 lead with 7.3 seconds left.

Miner had 24 points and Willie Burton added 18 for Miami, which has lost three in a row.

Indiana 100, Boston 94--Pooh Richardson scored 24 points and Dale Davis posted career bests of 21 points and 22 rebounds for the Pacers against the Celtics at Indianapolis.

It was the Pacers’ first home victory in five starts and only their second in eight games. It came with two starters, Reggie Miller and Derrick McKey, and top reserve Antonio Davis sidelined because of injuries.

Utah 86, New York 72-- Karl Malone had 20 points and 12 rebounds at New York as the Jazz ended the Knicks’ 22-game regular-season home winning streak.

Before the victory, the Jazz had lost seven games at Madison Square Garden since its last victory there on Feb. 15, 1986.

The Knicks played without injured starters Patrick Ewing and Charles Smith.

Atlanta 96, Charlotte 91--Kevin Willis took control of the final period and Dominique Wilkins scored 32 points for the Hawks against the Hornets at Atlanta.

Nine of Willis’ 23 points came in the fourth quarter, including two key baskets in the closing minutes.

Seattle 112, Golden State 97--Shawn Kemp scored 28 points, all in the first three quarters, and six SuperSonics scored in double figures against the Warriors at Oakland.

Kemp, who played only 29 minutes, added 14 rebounds and made 14 of 15 free throws. He was also an intimidating defensive factor inside for Warrior rookie Chris Webber, who was held scoreless until the second quarter.