Heat derail Hornets 85-77, head to Semis
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-05 14:15

The Miami Heat fueled an early lead with a potent fast break, then held on to defeat New Orleans 85-77 in Game 7 of the first round series Tuesday night, advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals while eliminating the Hornets.

Miami Heat's Lamar Odom (7) goes for two points over New Orleans Hornets' P.J. Brown (42) during the second quarter of Game 7 of their NBA first-round playoff series Tuesday, May 4, 2004, in Miami. [AP]

The Heat extended their home winning streak to 16 Games in the victory that led them to the 4-3 series win. They next face the top-seeded Indiana Pacers, who have been idle since completing a sweep of Boston on April 25.

"We can play with any team in the East," Miami rookie Dwyane Wade said. "We're going to go up there and take it to them."

The Heat will travel to Indianapolis for Game 1 on Thursday night.

"They're a dangerous team," the Hornets' Baron Davis said. "If I was Indiana, I'd be kind of nervous playing against this team. They're young and talented, and they play like they've got nothing to lose."

In the only other game Tuesday night, Sacramento beat Minnesota 104-98 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal series.

In the other second-round series, the Los Angeles Lakers will face San Antonio in Game 2 on Wednesday night, and New Jersey and Detroit will play their second game Friday night. The Spurs and Pistons have 1-0 leads after home victories.

The Heat became the final NBA team to reach round two — and the most improbable. They were 25-57 last season, 0-7 in November and 25-36 in March before staging a late-season surge.

"We have a lot to be proud of," forward Lamar Odom said. "Win lose or draw in Indiana, the Miami Heat 2004 — we're winners, man."

For the first Game 7 of the playoffs, the Heat gave a crowd of 20,286 — largest in franchise history — plenty to cheer about. Caron Butler led the winner-take-all victory with 23 points, and Rafer Alston made four free throws in the final 2:09 after the Hornets reduced a 16-point deficit to five.

The Heat had the injury-plagued Davis hobbling by halftime, and they finished with 18 fast-break points to five for New Orleans.

"It was Aqueduct racetrack out there," said Odom, who had 16 points and nine rebounds. "We just keep pushing it and pushing it."

Davis bruised his tailbone when he drew an offensive foul and took a tumble late in the second quarter. The All-Star guard limped to the locker room before halftime, played just three minutes in the second half and departed for good with the Hornets trailing 52-39.

"We were hurting once B.D. was out of the game," center Jamaal Magloire said.

"If I could have played, I would have played," Davis said. "I could hardly walk."

Miami made the other Hornets look just as slow, forcing 21 turnovers to create repeated opportunities in the open court.

"Our Achilles' heel was turnovers," Hornets forward P.J. Brown said. "We didn't take care of the ball, and they took advantage."

None of New Orleans' starters reached double figures until the final three minutes. Steve Smith, a 35-year-old reserve, came off the bench to keep them in the game with a season-high 25 points in 27 minutes.

The defeat ended an up-and-down season for first-year Hornets coach Tim Floyd, whose job may be in jeopardy after his veteran team felt short of expectations.

"This team needs to do some soul-searching — everyone, not just the players," Magloire said.

The first Game 7 of the NBA playoffs was lopsided most of the night. The Hornets fell behind by 10 points early, drew even and then went 6:54 without a point as the Heat scored 15 consecutive points to lead 33-18 midway through the second quarter.

"It was Game 7," Wade said. "Everyone had it in their mind that they wanted to attack more. The energy was great."

The fast start made the sellout crowd a factor from the start — an all-too-familiar scenario for the Hornets, who finished 0-6 in Miami this season. The home team won every game in the series.

"That's what your fans do for you," Hornets guard Darrell Armstrong said. "You've got give their fans credit. They were truly the sixth man. Four games here, three games in New Orleans — that's the difference."

Kings 104, Timberwolves 98

At Minneapolis, Mike Bibby scored 33 points for Sacramento in Game 1 against the top-seeded Timberwolves.

Bibby, who averaged 23.6 points in a five-game victory over Dallas in the first round, was 10-for-21 from the field.

Sam Cassell scored 40 points for the Timberwolves. Kevin Garnett, who held up his MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony after remarks by NBA commissioner David Stern, had a quiet 16 points and 18 rebounds — plus six turnovers.

Game 2 is Saturday night.

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