BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
Prime Time said:
'Every day is my birthday'
The Miami Heat gave Shaquille O'Neal the only birthday gift he wanted: the ball when the game was on the line.
O'Neal marked his 34th birthday with 35 points and accounted for all of Miami's scoring in overtime, leading the Heat over the Charlotte Bobcats 106-105 on Monday night.
"In overtime, I told the guys, 'Just bring it to me,"' O'Neal said. "We were messing around the whole game, so I just told the guys to keep coming to me. And they did."
O'Neal also had 12 rebounds to help the Heat to a season-high ninth consecutive victory. Although he missed several opportunities to put Miami on top in regulation -- he went 2-for-7 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter -- he made amends in the extra period.
He scored on all four of his attempts -- three were dunks -- and had three rebounds to finally put the Bobcats away and close out his birthday with a victory. Asked how he planned to celebrate, O'Neal said he had a low-key evening ahead of him.
"I'm going to just go home, be thankful for my beautiful wife and gorgeous kids, where I live, my job," he said. "Actually, every day is my birthday."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/nba/03/06/bc.bkn.heat.bobcats.ap/index.html
