[TimesPicayune] In an effort of futility, N.O. digs hole deeper

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http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1082626680241180.xml In an effort of futility, N.O. digs hole deeper Poor shooting leaves Hornets in need of win Thursday, April 22, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer MIAMI -- The Hornets have never shot as poorly in a playoff game as they did Wednesday night against the Miami Heat. They were so bad they made NBA history in the 93-63 loss, which gave the Heat a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that resumes at noon Saturday at New Orleans Arena. Their 63-point total and 20 made field goals tied the NBA record for second-worst in playoff history. And, their 24.4 percent shooting is the lowest in the 19-year history of the franchise for a playoff game. Guard Darrell Armstrong sat slumped in his chair after the game for several minutes, having difficulty finding the words to explain what happened. "We just couldn't make any shots," Armstrong said. Veteran forward P.J. Brown, looking dejected, said he didn't think he has ever experienced anything like it before in his career. "It was ugly tonight, and this might by the lowest shooting percentage that I've been around," Brown said. "It was just tough." They had layups to bounce off the rim. Their jumpers fell well short of the goal. They missed tip-in shots. It didn't matter if they were left open or not. The Hornets finished the game shooting 20-of-82 from the field and they were 3-of-18 from 3-point range. Their only success was at the free throw line -- hitting 20 of 25. They made 13 shots from the field after three quarters, shooting 22 percent (13-of-59). In the third quarter, they missed 19 of 21 shots and all six 3-point shots. The 10 points they scored in the third tied a franchise-low for a playoff game. "We felt like we tried to establish ourselves inside early in the game and came up empty," Hornets coach Tim Floyd said. The Heat led 66-44 after three quarters, and Coach Stan Van Gundy didn't need to worry much about the Hornets' making a comeback. The Heat took their first 30-point lead with 1:29 remaining. In the fourth quarter, the Heat's lead never was less than 16. "We stuck to a very good defensive game plan," Heat center Brian Grant said. "Some nights, the ball just falls. Other nights, it doesn't. But we have to avoid going down there (New Orleans) thinking the series is not over." The Heat was better than the Hornets in nearly every phase, especially their outside shooting and the way they defended. Hornets guard Baron Davis' sprained left ankle didn't effect his movement, but he couldn't hit jumpers or driving shots. He started poorly, missing one of six shots in the first quarter. He was unable to establish anything for the remainder of the game. He missed 14 of 17 shots, but made seven of nine shots for 13 points. "We have no rhythm," Davis said. "We tried to exploit them on the inside and the pick-and-rolls and neither one of those worked. We kept playing to the strength of their defense. We have to find ways to kick out to the majority of the scorers on our team. They (Heat) just blew it wide open. It takes the life out of you." Brown missed his first five shots and went scoreless until 3:20 remained in the second quarter. He finished with four points, missing 12 of 14 shots. Shooting guard David Wesley had a productive first quarter, hitting two of three shots. But he missed nine of 11 shots to score eight points. Backup forward Stacey Augmon missed eight of nine shots. Backup guard Steve Smith went 2-of-9. The Heat kept Hornets center Jamaal Magloire surrounded in the post each time he caught a pass. It worked the first game and again Wednesday. He was held to seven points on four of 11 shooting and fouled out with 3:13 remaining in the quarter. He made five-of-14 shots for 14 points in Sunday's 81-79 loss. When the Hornets' inside game got dismantled, they went outside. They had no luck there, either. They missed 18 of 21 from behind the 3-point line. In each quarter, the Hornets started badly. They missed seven straight shots at the start of the third and the Heat took a 51-34 lead. Several Hornets players said before the game their two days of preparations would help. They worked on their shooting. But the Heat started the second quarter with an 11-point lead. It came when the Hornets closed to 30-26 on the help of hitting five free throws. But the Heat quickly regained control. Guard Rafer Alston's layup and Grant's 19-foot jumper pushed the Heat lead back to 11. For the remaining 3:58, their lead never dipped below nine as they entered with a 43-34 halftime lead. The Hornets' size advantage made it tough for Grant to score in the post. But he moved 19-feet from the basket and became an effective jump shooter, scoring 15 points on six of 13 shooting. Guard Eddie Jones led the Heat with 19 points. On Sunday, he was held to nine points but Van Gundy promised that he would get more shot opportunities and Jones delivered. Trouble began for the Hornets on the first play of the game when guard Dwyane Wade, who scored 14 points, stepped in front of Davis at midcourt to steal a pass and score on a layup. . . . . . . . John Reid can be reached at jreid@timespicayune.com or (504) 826-3405. -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 218.166.78.144