Defense Leads Way for Heat in Victory

Shaquille O’Neal couldn’t specifically say why the Miami Heat changed its defensive ways. He wasn’t being coy, either.

“If I said what I heard, it’d all be whistles,” O’Neal said, referring to Coach Pat Riley’s halftime remarks. “It’d all be bleeps.”

Whatever Riley said at halftime certainly worked. The Heat held Minnesota to 23.5% shooting over the final two quarters and beat the slumping Timberwolves, 97-70, on Sunday night.

Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, O’Neal had 16 and Alonzo Mourning had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, which gave up a season low in points and set a season high for margin of victory.

“We had a decent second quarter and the third quarter was probably the best defense, the most intense and correct defense that we have played probably this year,” said Riley, whose team outscored Minnesota, 56-26, in the second half. “The mentality was entirely different. I thought that just sort of propelled us.”

The Heat (19-13) moved a season-high six games over .500.

Wally Szczerbiak scored 19 points, Rashad McCants added 13 and Kevin Garnett matched a season low with 11 for Minnesota (14-14), which is 2-8 in its last 10 games but remains atop the Northwest Division.