Bulls Hand Heat 11th Straight Loss

[January 17, 2008]  MIAMI (AP) -- Ben Gordon scored 24 points, Joe Smith added 23 and the Chicago Bulls handed Miami its 11th straight loss, beating the Heat 126-96 on Wednesday night.

Luol Deng had 21 points and Andres Nocioni rebounded from an injury in Tuesday's loss at Orlando to score 20 points. Thabo Sefolosha scored a season-high 17 points for the Bulls, whose 126 points were a season high.

Shaquille O'Neal had 24 points and 10 rebounds in his return to the lineup for Miami, and fouled out for the sixth time this season. After making only two of his first nine shots, Dwyane Wade finished with 24 points.

O'Neal started for the first time since Dec. 26, when he aggravated a previous hip injury, missing eight games in that stretch.

Jason Williams scored 17 points and Udonis Haslem had 15 for Miami.

Miami pulled to 62-60 at 9:03 of the third, but the Bulls went on a 10-3 run and never looked back, taking a 93-79 lead into the fourth period.

With O'Neal's presence in the lane, the Bulls went to their perimeter shooting game in the first period. Seven of their first eight field goals came from outside.

Miami outscored Chicago 30-24 in the second period, cutting the Bulls' lead to 58-53 at the half. O'Neal had 18 points in the first half, his best half of the season. Smith had 17 first-half points for Chicago.

The Bulls closed out the first quarter with a 14-5 run to take a 34-23 lead.

Notes: Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich missed his second straight game because of back spasms. ... Nocioni returned to the lineup after leaving the game at Orlando on Tuesday. ... It was the first meeting between the teams since Chicago swept Miami in the first round of last year's playoffs. ... Joakim Noah and Ben Wallace were reported to have had an argument during Tuesday's game at Orlando, but Bulls coach Jim Boylan downplayed the incident before the game Wednesday night. Neither player commented, and they stood next to each other during the pre-game National Anthem. ... Miami is 2-23 when trailing after three quarters. ... Miami's Alonzo Mourning, out for the season because of a knee injury, sat on the Heat bench.

[Associated Press]

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