O’Neal a Success in Heat Debut

Shaquille O’Neal caught the ball deep in the low post, used his oversized posterior to bump Alonzo Mourning out of the way, then dropped in a layup with no one else around.

Miami’s new center had his way against a familiar face from the Heat’s recent past, going seven for nine from the field and scoring 16 points in only 21 minutes of a 100-77 victory Wednesday night over the New Jersey Nets.

It was anything but a dominant debut for O’Neal, who was acquired over the summer from the Lakers for three starters and a first-round draft pick.

But he certainly had his moments despite playing on a sore left hamstring, the best of them coming in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter against the player drafted one spot behind him in 1992.

“I was ordered to be 100% when I came back, but I haven’t been 100% in about 10 years,” O’Neal said.

On his next trip downcourt after shaking Mourning with his butt bump, O’Neal freed himself with a shove to the back that the referees didn’t see before knocking down a short jump hook.

Moments later, O’Neal got the ball in the low left block and made a 10-foot baseline turnaround over Mourning for an 83-60 lead.

“It was one-on-one coverage, and I don’t know anybody in this league that can guard him one-on-one,” Mourning said. “I don’t care if he has a pulled hamstring or he is slow -- the man is big. He is a massive individual.”

Both players left for good moments later, O’Neal’s night a success because of the victory; Mourning’s an accomplishment simply because the former Miami center was able to play less than a year after undergoing a kidney transplant.

Mourning finished with seven points, five rebounds and four fouls in 14 minutes.

Richard Jefferson had 19 points to lead New Jersey, but he was the Nets’ only starter to reach double figures.

Miami had six players in double figures.

O’Neal had only six points and three rebounds in the first half, missing his first shot, making his next three and missing his last.

“It went better than I thought it would go,” Heat Coach Stan Van Gundy said, “but I’m not going to go crazy on the superlatives after one game.”

O’Neal missed three free throws in a single trip to the line during the first half, getting an extra attempt because of a lane violation. He finished two for seven at the line.

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SHAQ, FOR STARTERS

Shaquille O’Neal’s debut performances:

* Orlando, Nov. 6, 1992: 12 points, 18 rebounds in a 110-100 victory over Miami.

* Lakers, Nov. 2, 1996: 23 points, 14 rebounds in a 96-82 victory over Phoenix.

* Miami, Nov. 3, 2004: 16 points, five rebounds in a 100-77 victory over New Jersey.