Miami’s leading scorer Dwyane Wade was absent with the flu, leaving O’Neal to take charge with 15 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists.

O’Neal’s only other triple-double came in November 20, 1993 for the Orlando Magic against the New Jersey Nets.

Derek Anderson contributed 17 points for Miami while Gary Payton and Udonis Haslem each added 15 as the Heat moved closer to clinching the Eastern Conference second seed, lowering their magic number to two with New Jersey’s loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Mike James paced Toronto with 32 points, becoming the first Raptor to score 30 or more points in four consecutive games.

Morris Peterson had 23 points and Darrick Martin added 13 in a losing cause.

With Wade out of the line-up, the Raptors concentrated their efforts on slowing down O’Neal, double-teaming the Heat’s gigantic center.

O’Neal ran into early foul trouble but inflicted enough damage in 28 minutes of work to send the slumping Raptors to their ninth straight defeat.

"I knew they (Raptors) were going to double me so I just trying to keep my guys involved," O’Neal told reporters.

"They kept doubling me and I just kept passing and my team mates were making me look good.

"I just always try to have a positive impact on the game."

The Heat took command right from the tip off, leading 31-21 after the first quarter and 61-51 at the halftime intermission.

Toronto rallied in the third, trimming the Miami lead to 82-77 but would get no closer, the Heat opened the final quarter with 10-3 run.

In Chicago, Ben Gordon bagged 36 points, including 21 in the final quarter, as the Bulls downed the New Jersey Nets 104-101 to move into a tie with the Philadelphia 76ers for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot.

Kirk Hinrich chipped in with 22 points and dished out nine assists and Andres Nocioni had 20 points and added a career-high 17 boards as the Bulls continued their stretch drive for a post-season berth recording their fifth win in six games.

In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant nailed 31 points and Lamar Odom had a triple double as the Lakers eased to a 111-100 win over the slumping Golden State Warriors.

Odom had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists to earn his ninth career triple-double but first in a Lakers uniform.