Heat shuts down Wade for season

Last update: March 11, 2008 - 12:42 AM

Dwyane Wade needs time to heal, and the Miami Heat saw no reason to further postpone the inevitable.

Wade, right, will miss the remainder of the season so he can further rehabilitate his surgically repaired left knee, which has bothered him for about a year. He will undergo a powerful shock-wave treatment later this week, and hopes he will be pain free in time for next season.

"I’m doing what’s right," Wade said. "I would love to be out there with my teammates, but in the long run, I think my teammates would love for me to be healthy and be out there with them when we’re fighting to get in the playoffs again."

Wade finishes the season averaging 24.6 points, fifth-best in the NBA. He will miss Miami’s final 21 games.

Monday’s games

• CLEVELAND 88, PORTLAND 80: LeBron James had 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists and recorded his seventh triple-double of the season as the host Cavaliers rallied in the second half to topple the Trail Blazers. It is the 17th triple-double of James’ career. The Cavaliers were down by 13 points in the second quarter and didn’t take their first lead until late in the third period. Wally Szczerbiak’s two free throws with 8:03 left broke a 69-69 tie and gave Cleveland the lead for good. LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 25 points.

• BOSTON 100, PHILADELPHIA 86: Kevin Garnett had 26 points and 12 rebounds to help the visiting Celtics reach 50 victories for the first time in 16 years by beating the 76ers. Ray Allen scored 21 points and Paul Pierce 17 in another stellar outing for The Big Three as they helped Boston celebrate the Big 5-0. The Celtics opened with a 15-0 run, won their ninth consecutive game and reached the 50-victory mark for the first time since they finished the 1991-92 season 51-31.

• ORLANDO 123, ATLANTA 112: Dwight Howard had 26 points and 16 rebounds and Hedo Turkoglu had the second triple-
double of his career as the host Magic rolled past the Hawks. Turkoglu had 23 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

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