NBA roundup: Heat show no mercy versus Bulls

CHICAGO — Jermaine O'Neal scored 24 points and the Miami Heat jumped out to a 30-point halftime lead Thursday night to rout the Chicago Bulls 103-74.

Pushing for a better playoff seeding, Miami's third straight victory and ninth in 12 games lifted the Heat into the No. 6 slot in the Eastern Conference, a half game ahead of idle Charlotte.

The Bulls have lost 11 of 13, including a 10-game losing streak, and are currently in ninth place in the East.

O'Neal shot 9 for 14, Michael Beasley added 15 points and Udonis Haslem 14 on a night when Dwyane Wade scored only 12 in 29 minutes — 14.5 under his average. Wade did have 10 assists and five rebounds.

Hakim Warrick scored 14 points and Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose had 12 each for the Bulls.

CLIPPERS 99, ROCKETS 93: At Houston, Craig Smith scored a season-high 25 points and had 10 rebounds as Los Angeles ended an 11-game road losing streak. Drew Gooden had 17 points and 14 rebounds, Baron Davis scored 16 points and Eric Gordon added 14 for the Clippers, who hadn't won on the road since Feb. 2.

TRAIL BLAZERS 101, MAVERICS 89: At Portland, Ore., LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Dallas Mavericks for the third time this season.

Arenas sentenced today

WASHINGTON — Will Gilbert Arenas be going to jail or get probation?

The Washington Wizards point guard heads to court today to be sentenced on a felony count of violating the District of Columbia's gun laws.

Arenas pleaded guilty Jan. 15 after it was revealed he brought four guns to the Wizards locker room in an attempt to play a prank on a teammate in December.