Heat takes it to Knicks early and often in rout

Dwyane Wade? Shaquille O’Neal? All they contributed was applause from the bench.

Playing without its two All-Stars, the Heat scored a franchise-record 27 consecutive points Monday night and beat the New York Knicks, 101-83, at Miami.

Miami raced to a 29-3 lead after 8 1/2 minutes. The Knicks missed 10 consecutive shots as their 3-2 lead became a 26-point deficit, while the Heat started 13 for 19 from the field and outscored New York, 14-0, in the paint at the outset.

“It was like the court was tilted,” New York’s David Lee said. “They were running downhill, and we were struggling to go uphill.”

The Heat did it with a makeshift lineup, with Wade sitting out after spraining his left ankle Sunday against Dallas and O’Neal missing his 35th straight game because of knee surgery.

The Knicks cut the deficit to 15 points by halftime and briefly to six in the fourth quarter but could get no closer.

Jason Kapono fueled the early run and scored 22 points. Udonis Haslem had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Gary Payton had 13 assists, his highest total since joining the Heat in 2005.

Eddy Curry scored 26 points for the Knicks, who trailed by 28 after one quarter -- the second-largest such deficit in franchise history.

New York’s Stephon Marbury sat out the second half because of a sore left knee.

Utah 106, Minnesota 91 -- Mehmet Okur scored 28 points and Carlos Boozer had 10 of his 18 points in a pivotal three-minute stretch of the fourth quarter at Salt Lake City to help the Jazz win its fourth in a row after a four-game losing streak.

Deron Williams tied his career high with 15 assists for the Jazz.

In their return from one-game suspensions, Ricky Davis scored a season-best 32 points and Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 11 rebounds, but the Timberwolves lost their fourth straight.

Orlando 90, Cleveland 79 -- The Magic led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter at Cleveland to end a five-game losing streak.

Grant Hill scored 22 points and Dwight Howard had 18 with 13 rebounds for Orlando, which also ended a six-game losing streak at Cleveland.

LeBron James had 18 points for the Cavaliers, playing their fifth game in seven nights.

Sacramento 88, New Jersey 87 -- Mike Bibby, 0 for 6 with one free throw through three quarters, scored the Kings’ last 15 points, including the go-ahead jumper with 10.3 seconds left, to help erase a 20-point third-quarter deficit at Sacramento.

Jason Kidd had 18 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for New Jersey.

Indiana 98, Chicago 91 -- Jermaine O’Neal had 22 points and 10 rebounds at Indianapolis to help the Pacers end a four-game losing streak and win for the first time since an eight-player trade.

Replacing the injured Jamaal Tinsley, Darrell Armstrong, 38, had 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Pacers.

Ben Gordon scored 31 points for Chicago.

San Antonio 93, Boston 89 -- Tim Duncan stayed unbeaten against the Celtics, finishing with 21 points and nine rebounds to lead the Spurs at Boston.

The Celtics, losers of 18 in a row against the Spurs, last beat San Antonio on Jan. 8, 1997, the season before Duncan entered the NBA.

Delonte West had 27 points for Boston, which lost its eighth in a row.

Toronto 105, Charlotte 84 -- Chris Bosh scored 20 points, Jose Calderon had a season-high 19 points and 11 assists, and the Raptors took control with a 21-8 third quarter at Toronto.

Gerald Wallace had 19 points for Charlotte.