By TOM WITHERS
AP Sports Writer

CLEVELAND(AP) -- As 20,000 fans filled the arena with the droning
sound of his nickname, Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas
choked back tears.

The big man, known simply as "Z," finally had his moment.

"That was one of the coolest things I've experienced in my
life," he said.

Ilgauskas, who overcame severe foot injuries early in his career
to become an All-Star center, scored 14 points and set a
Cleveland team record for games played, and Shaquille O'Neal
scored 12 as the Cavaliers dismantled Shaq's former team with a
107-90 win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

LeBron James just missed a triple-double as the Cavs handed the
Suns their second straight lopsided loss.

Ilgauskas, forced to accept a backup role when the Cavs acquired
O'Neal, became the team's career leader with 724 games played -
finally. He had been expected to surpass former teammate and
general manager Danny Ferry on Saturday against Dallas, but was
never put in the game by coach Mike Brown.

The snub angered James, who called out Brown in support of his
teammate.

When Ilgauskas checked in with 3:50 left in the first quarter,
Cleveland fans broke into deafening chants of "ZZZZZZ" and gave
the team's career leader in rebounds and blocks an extended
standing ovation that began as soon as the 7-foot-3 center began
peeling off his warmups.

"That's the closest I've ever come to tears on the basketball
floor," Ilgauskas said.

Ilgauskas stoically stood in front of his locker after the game.
He didn't field any questions and apologized to reporters for
not being available since Saturday's puzzling benching.

"Obviously, I was very disappointed I didn't play in the last
game," he said. "I know I'm a good player. It made me more
disappointed and upset with acts that followed and this whole
mess that has been created. I'm not going to go into any
details. I'm going to be a bigger man and walk away from this. I
know when I go to bed at night my conscience is clear.

"I love this team. I love my teammates. They are like a family
to me. I'm going to come every day to work and try my hardest.
Hopefully we can win a championship for this city because they
deserve it. It has not been an easy ordeal."

Brown, who said Tuesday that he wished he would have handled
Saturday's game differently, sidestepped the issue before the
game. Afterward, team owner Dan Gilbert released a statement in
which he said Ilgauskas had asked that his milestone not be
acknowledged during the game.

"It is fitting that Z broke the record for most games played in
a Cavaliers uniform," Gilbert said. "His journey to this point
has been remarkable in many ways and we all have a great deal of
respect and admiration for what Z has accomplished."

O'Neal was proud to share in Ilgauskas' big night.

"I don't consider him my backup," he said. "I consider him my
partner."

James finished with 12 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and
another chase-down block of Suns guard Jason Richardson, whom he
victimized last season. The Cavs had seven players in double
figures.

It was the second straight blowout loss for the Suns, who were
throttled 126-99 by the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.

Channing Frye scored 22 points and Steve Nash had 14 but also
five assists and six turnovers for Phoenix, which was held to a
season low in points.

Wearing throwback uniforms from the 1980s, the Cavaliers gave
the Suns an old-school thumping. Cleveland raced to a 33-14 lead
after one.

"We got nothing going at all in the first quarter," Suns coach
Alvin Gentry said. "It was an uphill battle from there. We've
got some work to do. We're a good basketball team. We're just
struggling right now. There are things we've got to get
corrected, but it's not anything we can't do when we get a
couple of practice days.

"We're not in any kind of panic situation."

O'Neal's basket to open the second half put Cleveland up 59-29,
and Phoenix could only get as close as 12 during garbage time in
the fourth.

O'Neal spent 1 1/2 seasons with the Suns, who believed he was
the missing piece to lead them to an NBA title. Instead, the
All-Star center mostly slowed their high-octane offense and
Phoenix won just one playoff game during O'Neal's stay in the
Southwest.

Cleveland acquired Shaq for the same reason, and to this point,
he has improved the Cavs, who have won 13 of 16 since an 0-2
start.

"They don't look bad at all. A lot of folks talk about how bad
they look with Shaq. I disagree," Suns forward Amare Stoudemire
said. "I think they look fairly good. Shaq played decent out
there. He created some havoc defensively, got some baskets deep
in the paint and rebounded well. Shaq's not looking horrible,
I'll tell you that. He's looking pretty good and the Cavs are
looking solid as well."

NOTES: Ilgauskas moved into third place on Cleveland's career
scoring list with 10,269 points. He trails only James and Brad
Daugherty. ... James has had his share of public relations
problems, but nothing compared to what Tiger Woods is
experiencing. "I can't relate to his situation. That is his own
personal thing. I just wish him the best," James said. "You are
going to make mistakes, no one is perfect. You have to learn
from your mistakes and move on." ... Gentry said G Leandro
Barbosa will be out until around Christmas with a sprained left
ankle.