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Tuesday, February 13, 2001
O'Neal's block on Marbury keys win



Shaquille O'Neal
O'Neal

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --Shaquille O'Neal returned to the Los Angeles Lakers' lineup on Tuesday night without showing any ill effects from a two-week layoff caused by a strained arch in his right foot.

O'Neal had 32 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and five blocks in 43 minutes in helping the Lakers to a 113-110 overtime victory over the New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.

"I felt pretty good," O'Neal said after playing for the first time since Jan. 26. "I was anxious to get back and start the second half with a vengence, and I believe I started on a pretty good note tonight."

O'Neal, who had missed six games, hit 10 of 18 shots from the field and 12 of 24 free throws. Last year's MVP also had a key block of Stephon Marbury's shot in the overtime that set up a game-tying basket by Tyronn Lue.

The block came with the Lakers trailing 110-108 with less than a minute to play.

"Stephon got around me, but I knew Shaq was there," Lue said. "Horace Grant got the rebound, kicked it out to me and there was only one person to beat."

Lakers coach Phil Jackson said O'Neal seemed a little winded in the first half.

"But in the second half, he was fresh," Jackson said. "He had those lively legs. His timing was a little off and so was his shot."

Los Angeles needed O'Neal on Tuesday night to help Kobe Bryant offset a career-high 50 point performance by Marbury.

Bryant finished with 38 points, including a game-winning three-point play with 4.8 seconds left in overtime.

"Every great team has a great one-two punch and that's what Kobe and I give this team," O'Neal said. "When we play like we did tonight and everybody contributes, we're tough to beat."

O'Neal said his foot is still a little sore, but it's probably something he will have to live with the rest of the season.

The Lakers travel to Philadelphia for a game with the Sixers on Wednesday night.

The Lakers, who started a six-game post All-Srar break road trip, were 4-2 without O'Neal. They have now won four games in a row.

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ALSO SEE
Shaq returns, Kobe outduels Marbury in OT thriller




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