In a match-up of two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat handled the Pistons, winning 89-78.  On the way, Wade recorded a triple-double with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

"It feels good to get my first triple-double in the NBA because I got it out of the way and it shows you're playing a team game," Wade said. "And, it feels good to beat the Pistons because I haven't done that in my young career."

"He's the best second-year pupil that I've had," Shaquille O'Neal said. "I've raised two great ones in my NBA lifetime and this guy is the best in his second year."

The much anticipated Christmas day matchup featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat was the highest rated regular season basketball game in almost 7 years, ABC television said on Monday.

As per Nielsen Media Research ratings, the game surpassed all regular season games dating back to February of 1998, as well as all Christmas Day pairings since 1996.

The game drew a rating of 8, where each point represents a single percent of the 109.6 nationwide homes.

Newly acquired Hawks guard Tyrone Lue contributed greatly in his first game with the club after coming over in the Jon Barry trade.

His nine 2nd quarter points gave the Hawks a 56-55 lead at halftime.

Lue ended the contest with 13 points.

Miami defeated the Hawks on Monday night to win their 12th consecutive game.  

The Shaquille O'Neal/Dwayne Wade duo combined for 58 points, winning 116-102.

"This win streak has shown us what we have as a team when we win close games," Wade said. "We've been doing it in the big stages and it proves where this team is headed."

"They're an awesome team," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "When you get off to a start like they have, they know that they're playing for a title. They have a legitimate shot of coming out of the East and getting to the Finals. They're a team that's playing with a purpose right now."

Even though he is no longer a Laker, Shaquille O'Neal didn't let that stop him from handing out presents to 250 kids in South Los Angeles.

O'Neal and his Miami teammate Damon Jones spent several hours on Friday morning handing out gifts at the Challengers Boys & Girls Club. "I'm glad to be back here. I miss everybody," O'Neal told reporters. "These kids are the future."

Miami Heat will play against Los Angeles Lakers in a Christmas Day matchup which will mark O'Neal's long anticipated return to the town in which he played for eight seasons. "Hopefully I'll get a great reception (from the crowd)," O'Neal said. "But who knows what's going to happen."

Phil Jackson spoke recently about Kobe Bryant's recent reaching out to Shaquille O'Neal.

"I'm glad Kobe showed that. These guys were teammates that developed something very special over the five years that we played together and they were champions together. You never forget that, when you?re on a championship team together. You have that as part of your legacy and as part of memory that winning together was a very special time, so that was a nice step by Kobe."

Pick your poison for this Christmas day.  This year, both of the games in the NBA Christmas Classic will provide a bit more excitment to the viewer than mere athletic competition.

This Christmas, fans will be subject to the much anticipated rematch pitting The Indiana Pacers versus The Detroit Pistons and the long awaited match up between the feuding Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O?Neal.  

The Pacers-Pistons will play each other at 12:30 p.m. EST for the first time since the infamous brawl in Detroit that left many players involved trading in their uniforms for suits.

If that is not enough, the eager viewer may also tune into the 3:30 p.m. EST game pitting the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Miami Heat.  Many viewers are looking for something to happen between Shaq and Kobe.  The two have developed a feud that is one step from becoming a pay-per-view event at the Mirage Casino.  Never known as a big fan of television, former Lakers Coach Phil Jackson is even thinking about tuning in to this game.

"That's going to be interesting to see what Shaq does when Kobe tries to go to him more than anything else," Jackson said. "How is he going to defend the post if Kobe wants to drive it? Kobe likes to go in there and take contact. It will be interesting to see how that goes.

In a society in which many television viewers cannot get enough of watching other people?s problems, tomorrows games should provide them with a healthy dose of that good-old-fashioned drama.

After flagrantly fouling Heat guard Dwyane Wade, Boston Celtics guard Ricky Davis was ejected from the contest.
 
Wade stole the ball from Gary Payton and drove downcourt, with Davis racing down the opposite wing with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

As Wade leaped toward the basket, Davis pulled him down and sent him crashing to the court. Wade stayed down for a few brief moments, but got up and remained in the game.

Despite the acquisition of Shaquille O'Neal, which has led to an increase in attendance, Heat owner Micky Arison said Tuesday that the team may raise ticket prices next season.  He stressed that no decision has been finalized, nor did he reveal how much the average ticket price may jump for the 2005-06 season.

"Our revenue position is still way short of what it needs to be competitive in the league," Arison said. "I think right now we're in the top five as far as overall attendance in the league, but we're in the middle -- if not lower than the middle -- in revenue."

Miami's average ticket price this season is $46.25, according to a study conducted by the Team Marketing Report at the start of the season. That's consistent with the leaguewide average of $45.28.

Heat center Shaquille O'Neal will not play in Tuesday night's game against the Boston Celtics because of a calf injury.

O'Neal was injured in Sunday's win over Orlando, team spokesman Tim Donovan said. Michael Doleac was announced as the starter in O'Neal's place.

This should assure that O'Neal is healthy for the showdown at the Staples Center on Christmas Day.