[SunSentinel] Heat routs Hornets, 93-63, to take 2-0 lead

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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/ sfl-heat22apr22,0,4134846.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Heat routs Hornets, 93-63, to take 2-0 lead By Ira Winderman Staff Writer Posted April 22 2004 MIAMI -- Wednesday night's resounding 93-63 victory over the New Orleans Hornets at AmericanAirlines Arena was thorough, a shining example of all this season's resurgent Heat can be. But the second-most lopsided postseason victory in franchise history also was more. It was a validation of the possibilities of youth. In the three years since the Heat was humiliated by the Hornets in the first round of the 2001 playoffs, the Hornets continued to age, not all that gracefully. By contrast, the Heat recaptured its youth. With a 2-0 lead in this best-of-7 first-round series, it is quite evident that the kids are all right. "They came out really, really hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said, as if his kids know any other way. The Heat was scary good. "They're playing the best basketball in the NBA, it looks like to me," Hornets guard Darrell Armstrong said. "They must have some pep pills or something, because they have a lot of energy over there." With only two players on its roster beyond their 20s, the Heat continued to display a vitality that has left the aging, ailing Hornets gasping. In a flash, the Heat's nine-point halftime lead turned to 23 in the third quarter. Among those on the court for New Orleans during the carnage were three 35-year-olds -- former Heat guard Steve Smith, forward Stacey Augmon and Armstrong. Running them ragged through that stretch were 22-year-old rookie point guard Dwyane Wade, 23-year-old reserve power forward Udonis Haslem and a pair of 24-year-old forwards, Lamar Odom and Caron Butler. Ultimately, this proved to be record-breaking. The Hornets' 63 points were the fewest ever against the Heat in a playoff game and, more significantly, the second-lowest total in NBA playoff history. "We sniffed out the plays they ran," center Brian Grant said. "We knew them before they ran them, actually." New Orleans' .244 shooting percentage was the worst ever by a Heat playoff opponent. The only time the Heat recorded a more lopsided postseason victory was when it romped past Orlando 99-64 in its playoff opener in 1997. "We really became dependent on the jump shot," soon-to-be-outgoing Hornets coach Tim Floyd said. "We got frustrated with not being able to establish anything inside." While the next two games are in New Orleans, beginning with Saturday's matinee, and while Van Gundy's team has done little more than hold serve, the Heat now is 5-1 against New Orleans when counting Wednesday's game and Sunday's 81-79 thriller decided on Wade's running floater with 1.3 seconds to play. "A young team like them, this is huge for them," said New Orleans' P.J. Brown, the former Heat power forward. "Now they can come in and they can play carefree." Van Gundy being Van Gundy, the first-year coach entered nervous, so nervous he took comfort in the office of former boss Pat Riley, now the Heat's full-time president. "I talked to Pat today probably more today than I have any other day," he said, "just to get his advice how to refocus guys." Through Van Gundy's concerns, this turned into a celebration for both young and old -- at least those in the home whites -- in front of a Heat playoff-record 20,189. Guard Eddie Jones, at 32 a veritable relic on this team, led the Heat with 19 points, a healthy bounce-back from Sunday's nine points. And Grant, 32 seemingly going on 52, rebounding from Sunday's two-point effort to close with 15 points and 11 rebounds, consistently converting the mid-range jumper that is so critical to the Heat's approach. "They just wanted to let everybody know they're still here and a big part of it," Van Gundy said. As for the kids, Butler, continuing his revival from preseason knee surgery, closed with 18 points and nine rebounds. Odom had a solid all-around effort, with 13 points, six rebounds and five assists, and only two turnovers, after committing seven in Game 1. And Wade, who seemingly only knows the spectacular, added 14 points of the flashiest variety. All of that allowed the Heat to cruise despite getting only 14 points off its bench and shooting 2 of 15 on 3-pointers, with point guard Rafer Alston failing to convert from beyond the arc for the first time in 50 games. The victory was the Heat's 19th in its last 23 games and extended its home winning streak to 14. As for the Hornets, they continued a downward spiral that now has them losers of 12 of their last 19, as well as 19 of their last 24 road games. After sitting out Game 2 of the Hornets' first-round series last season against the 76ers with a sore left ankle, guard Baron Davis pushed through that same injury this time, closing with 13 points on 3-of-14 shooting. Also limited by a sore ankle, reserve point guard Darrell Armstrong was just as inefficient, shooting 1 of 8. In addition, Hornets center Jamaal Magloire again failed to live up his All-Star pedigree against the Heat, with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds, consistently muscled out of position by Grant. The Heat is ahead 2-0 in the playoffs for the third time in the franchise's 16 seasons. It won each of its two previous series in this position, in the 1996 first round against Orlando and the 2000 first round against Detroit. Having dominated 18-0 on fast-break points in Game 1, the Heat this time had to settle for an 18-10 edge. It compensated by outscoring the bigger Hornets 36-22 in the paint. Ira Winderman can be reached at iwinderman@sun-sentinel.com. 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