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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- With a showdown with the second-place New York Knicks set for Sunday, the Miami Heat didn't look past the unmanned New Jersey Nets.
|  | | Keith Van Horn got the bucket over Alonzo Mourning, and a couple bruises to go with it. |
They simply crushed them on Friday night, in more ways than one.
Tim Hardaway scored 13 of his 15 points in the first quarter and extended Miami's NBA-record streak of hitting a 3-point field goal
to 500 games in leading the Heat to a 103-85 win.
"It was very important to come out and seize this game early,"
Hardaway said. "It would be the same if we were hurting. In this
league, you have to kick a team when it's down."
Miami did just that in winning its season-high sixth straight
game and eliminating the Nets from playoff contention for the fifth
time in six years.
"Just put them away, that's what it's all about," said Miami
center Alonzo Mourning, who had 15 points and 11 rebounds. "We used our defense and put them away early. If we were playing shorthanded, no one would have any sympathy for us."
Coupled with the Knicks' 96-89 win over Orlando, Miami
maintained a two-game lead over the Knicks in the division.
"I told them this game was huge," Miami coach Pat Riley said.
"On Sunday, we have a chance to get another notch against the
Knicks. Tonight's game gives us that opportunity."
Jamal Mashburn had 21 points to lead Miami, while Gill and Elliott Perry had 18 points apiece for New Jersey, which lost its
fifth straight.
"It's been difficult because we had something so good and with the injuries we had and all the bad luck, it destroyed what we built," said a teary-eyed Gill. "It's difficult in that respect, but we have to be pros."
The Nets, who have been without center Jayson Williams all
season, stayed close for the opening 8½ minutes before Hardaway and
Mashburn keyed a 13-0 run with a long range barrage.
Mashburn started the spurt with a 3-pointer from the left wing
and Hardaway, who had extended the long-range streak in the opening
minute of the game, followed with two more from the top of the key.
After that, the rout was on.
P.J. Brown added a layup and Mashburn closed out the quarter with a 15-foot jumper to give Miami a 33-19 lead. The Heat hit 13
of 18 from the field in the quarter (72.2 percent), including all
five of their 3-pointers. They made 7 of 9 in the game.
"We like to use the three to break people backs, kind of like
we did at the end of the first quarter tonight," Hardaway said.
The last time the Heat did not make a 3-pointer in a game was Jan. 19, 1994 against Indiana.
Miami used an 11-point run late in the second quarter to balloon
the lead to 26 points, and they led by as many as 31 points in a
third quarter that was marked by major garbage time for 7-foot-7
Nets center Gheorghe Muresan.
Game notes
The game had an ugly moment late when Anthony Carter was
ejected for a flagrant foul on Perry on a fast break with Miami up
by 22 points. ... The Heat extended their streak of holding
opponents to 21 points or less in a quarter to 10 before New Jersey
broke it scoring 26 points in the final period. ... The Heat are
now 19-19 on the road, the only Eastern Conference team with .500
or better record on road. ... Miami has hit 3,123 3-pointers in its
500-game streak. ... Johnny Newman, who made his seventh start, is the only Net to appear in all 76 games this season. ... Jim McIlvaine returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a bulging disk and ankle problems. ... New Jersey placed rookie C Evan Eschmeyer on the injured list and signed forward Mark
Hendrickson to a 10-day contract.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
New Jersey Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 102
Boston 97
Toronto 104
Atlanta 84
Detroit 97
Charlotte 82
Miami 103
New Jersey 85
Indiana 95
Cleveland 94
New York 96
Orlando 89
Houston 119
Seattle 116
Utah 105
Golden State 84
Minnesota 95
Sacramento 92
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