Miami Heat

Guard Kenny Hasbrouck and forward Shavlik Randolph have been waived by the Miami Heat, moves that pare the team's roster down to 16 players. Hasbrouck, a Cardinal Gibbons graduate, appeared in five preseason games, averaging 4.6 points and 3.0 assists. Randolph averaged 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in three preseason contests. Both were with the Heat at times last season. "On to the next stage of my life," Hasbrouck wrote on his Facebook page. The Heat roster needs to be down to 15 by Monday.

Riley will stick with pal K.C. Johnson Chicago Tribune Pat Riley has developed a well-earned reputation as a win-at-all-costs competitor, sort of the Michael Jordan of the boardroom. Nevertheless, I still say Erik Spoelstra finishes the season as Heat coach. For starters, Spoelstra didn't get dumber during the offseason, and he's already considered one of the brighter young minds in the NBA. Secondly, Riley got his competitive jones last summer, when he scored the remarkable coup of landing LeBron James and Chris Bosh and re-signing Dwyane Wade.

Good morning --Miami Heat -- Party in South Beach tonight!

Guard Kenny Hasbrouck and forward Shavlik Randolph have been waived by the Miami Heat, moves that pare the team's roster down to 16 players. Hasbrouck, a Cardinal Gibbons graduate, appeared in five preseason games, averaging 4.6 points and 3.0 assists. Randolph averaged 2.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in three preseason contests. Both were with the Heat at times last season. "On to the next stage of my life," Hasbrouck wrote on his Facebook page. The Heat roster needs to be down to 15 by Monday.

BasketballMiami Heat -- Waived G Phil Henderson.Portland Trail Blazers -- Waived F Randy Allen, F Chris Harris and F Shelton Jones.HockeyNew York Rangers -- Assigned RW Jody Hull, C Corey Millen and D Per Djoos to Binghamton (AHL).

BASKETBALL (NBA)* Miami Heat -- Named Bob Staak assistant coach.* New Jersey Nets -- Announced Robert Casciola (executive vice president and chief operating officer) is leaving the team to become executive director of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.FOOTBALL (NFL)* League -- Named John Wooten director of player programs.

NBA Lakers@Suns 9 P.M. [ESPN] Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the same court is always good theater, but the subplots make this one even better. O'Neal is expected to make his first start for Phoenix since being traded from the Miami Heat. The Suns lead the Lakers by a 1 1/2 games in the Pacific Division.

VS. MIAMI HEAT* WHEN: Tonight, 7:35.* WHERE: Capital Centre.* RADIO: WMAL-AM 1500.* OUTLOOK: Even though the season is barely past the halfway point, this ranks as a must-win game for the Bullets (18-14). They have lost three in a row -- including an 87-81 defensive battle in Detroit last night -- and five of their last seven and must play six of their next eight games on the road. The Heat (11-31) prevailed in the only previous meeting between the clubs, winning handily in the season opener in Miami.

BaseballOrioles -- Activated OF Jeffrey Hammonds from the DL.Detroit Tigers -- Recalled P Ben Blomdahl, P Dwayne Henry, P Clint Sodowski and 1B Tony Clark from Triple-A from Toledo.Milwaukee Brewers -- Called up P Mark Kiefer and SS Mark Loretta.BasketballB6 Miami Heat -- Named Pat Riley president and coach.CollegelTC Dickinson -- Named Roe Falcone and Nicole Sabol women's assistant basketball coaches.B6 Frostburg State -- Named Bob Wells baseball coach.FootballPhiladelphia Eagles -- Signed OL Theo Adams.

Three days after sending him packing, the Washington Wizards yesterday reacquired former Maryland player Obinna Ekezie. Ekezie, a 6-foot-9 forward, was traded by the Wizards just before Tuesday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, along with center Cherokee Parks to the Los Angeles Clippers for forward Tyrone Nesby. However, the Clippers almost immediately cut Ekezie, who came to Washington in August from Vancouver. The Wizards, who never filled the open roster spot after the deal for Nesby, immediately claimed him off waivers yesterday.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Celtics are making progress on a deal that would bring Shaquille O'Neal to Boston. Earlier Tuesday, the four-time NBA champion said he will be in the league next season and would rather retire than play internationally. The 38-year-old O'Neal spent last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has struggled to find a contract from a team that can guarantee him playing time, enough money and a chance for one more championship.

Like many college basketball stars whose professional careers don't immediately click in the NBA, Kenny Hasbrouck fell off the radar after he graduated from Siena last year. A rib injury in minicamp with the Miami Heat last summer and a broken foot suffered while playing a pickup game with some of his former teammates last fall left the former Cardinal Gibbons standout waiting for another chance. It almost came in March, when the Heat signed Hasbrouck to a couple of 10-day contracts off the roster of an NBA Development League team.

No coach, no 'D,' no title Ron Fritz Baltimore Sun This is an easy one: Nope. Actually, I hope Miami never wins an NBA championship, with me being from Cleveland and all. Here's why the Heat will be challenged: Who's going to play defense? LeBron James can hold his own when he wants to, but Paul Pierce abused him in the playoffs. Chris Bosh can't cover his shadow and he's too slight to guard a true power forward, let alone a center. Dwyane Wade is a fabulous talent, but defense has never been his calling card.

When LeBron James announced to a national television audience Thursday that he was forsaking home and hearth to pursue his hoop dreams in Miami, he immediately shot to the top of the list of the greatest villains in Cleveland sports history. And why not? The kid who grew up in nearby Akron was offered more money to remain in his home state and try again to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first NBA title, but chose instead to jump town and rub that decision in the faces of his longtime fans on an unprecedented one-hour ESPN announcement special.

NBA Lakers@Suns 9 P.M. [ESPN] Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the same court is always good theater, but the subplots make this one even better. O'Neal is expected to make his first start for Phoenix since being traded from the Miami Heat. The Suns lead the Lakers by a 1 1/2 games in the Pacific Division.

NBA Pistons@Wizards 7 p.m. [CSN] If you've had your fill of meaningless bowl games, how about an NBA game? OK, many of them are meaningless, too, but here are the story lines: The Pistons are hot, having won nine consecutive games, and are coming off a 114-69 blowout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. The Wizards won their last game, 96-74, over the Miami Heat on Saturday and are expecting point guard Antonio Daniels to return to the lineup after he missed seven games with a sprained knee.

NBA Pistons@Wizards 7 p.m. [CSN] If you've had your fill of meaningless bowl games, how about an NBA game? OK, many of them are meaningless, too, but here are the story lines: The Pistons are hot, having won nine consecutive games, and are coming off a 114-69 blowout of the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night. The Wizards won their last game, 96-74, over the Miami Heat on Saturday and are expecting point guard Antonio Daniels to return to the lineup after he missed seven games with a sprained knee.

David Steele -- Points After Never at any point in their seasons, or even in the playoffs, did the reigning champions in three major pro sports - St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Heat - make you say, "They're the best team out there." That's not a particularly good trend. You know that if the Detroit Tigers go an additional 60 years or so without winning it all, someone will say it's because of The Curse of the Pine Tar. Worst World Series ever? I'd still vote for 1994, the one Bud Selig won. Or lost.

Good morning --Miami Heat -- Party in South Beach tonight!