Heat Barely Misses a Beat Without O’Neal

Knowing his bad leg would keep him out of the game, Shaquille O’Neal pulled Alonzo Mourning to the side during the Miami Heat’s morning shoot-around.

“I need you tonight,” O’Neal told Mourning.

“Say no more,” Mourning replied.

The 35-year-old with the transplanted kidney stepped in for O’Neal and played 35 minutes, scored 14 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked four shots. Mourning and Dwyane Wade did more than enough Thursday night in a 102-95 victory that put the Heat on the verge of a sweep of the Washington Wizards.

The Heat leads the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals, 3-0, and are unbeaten in seven games this postseason. Miami can complete its second straight playoff sweep Saturday night.

“I’ve worked my butt off for this type of opportunity,” Mourning said, “and I’m anxious to see the reward at the end.”

Five Miami players scored in a 13-0 third-quarter run that swung the game, and Wade steadied himself after committing five first-quarter turnovers to finish with 31 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Eddie Jones and Damon Jones had 16 points apiece, and Udonis Haslem had 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Wade made 14 of 27 shots and finished with eight turnovers, but Mourning’s performance -- which included a couple of energetic goaltending calls -- was the most inspirational.

“It’s fatigue that’s keeping him from getting up and down the floor,” Coach Stan Van Gundy said. “But when it’s the moment -- and the moment for ‘Zo defensively is protecting the basket -- he’ll summon the energy.”

The deep thigh bruise that has bothered O’Neal for weeks finally caused him to sit out a playoff game for the first time, ending a streak of 164 consecutive postseason appearances.

“I was ordered by the powers-that-be to take it easy,” O’Neal said. “I looked bad the other night in the fourth quarter, and they didn’t want it to get any worse. They have confidence in the team and so do I. The team just played fabulous today.”

Gilbert Arenas scored 20 points and set a franchise playoff record with 14 assists for the Wizards, who dropped their 11th in a row to the Heat in having their seven-game home winning streak stopped.