|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- Jamal Mashburn says he has no hard feelings for the 1997 trade in which Don Nelson sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Miami Heat.
Mashburn, however, looked like a man on a mission Thursday night
as he scored 34 points and led the Heat over Dallas for the 15th
straight time, 128-105.
| | Jamal Mashburn scored 34 points in just 31 minutes of action. |
Miami, which has won three in a row overall, has not lost to
Dallas since a 114-110 defeat Dec. 10, 1991, at Reunion Arena.
Nelson, the Mavericks' general manager when the Mashburn trade
was made, is now Dallas' coach.
"It was no big issue for me," said Mashburn, a former
first-round draft pick of the Mavericks. "It's not about being
with Don, it was about not being with Jimmy Jackson and Jason Kidd.
I'm thankful to Don for putting me in a situation where the Heat
have a chance to be in the playoffs and win a championship."
The 128 points were the most by the Heat since they scored 129 against Detroit on April 23, 1995, in the regular-season finale.
The Mavericks, who have lost three in a row, got a season-high
23 points from 7-footer Dirk Nowitzki.
None of the Dallas defenders, including the 21-year-old Nowitzki, could handle Mashburn's spinning moves.
"He's a great player who I enjoyed watching when I was young," Nowitzki said. "He showed it tonight."
Tim Hardaway had 16 points in 27 minutes and Alonzo Mourning
added 18 in an abbreviated stint for the Heat. P.J. Brown had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and reserve guard Anthony Carter had 10
assists.
"They made every shot and took advantage of every mistake,"
Nelson said. "I didn't like our game plan. I'll take the blame for
that."
Miami led 45-36 when Mashburn scored the team's next 11 points.
That evolved into a 21-6 burst that extended the Heat's lead to
66-44 with 4:31 left in the first half.
Mashburn shot 13-for-19 from the field in 31 minutes. It was his
highest-scoring game for Miami, though his career high of 50 came
with the Mavericks in 1994.
After Shawn Bradley hit a rare 3-pointer, Cedric Ceballos hit a
running jumper to cap off a 16-6 run that cut Miami's 27-point lead
to 90-74 late in the third quarter.
Mashburn hit a spinning drive that turned into a three-point
play and then had a tip-in that helped the Heat open up a 97-76
lead after three quarters.
Mashburn scored four points and Hardaway hit a 3-pointer to give
the Heat a 9-0 lead. Miami led 74-50 at halftime.
"You've seen us as a slow-down team the last three to four
years," Hardaway said. "It's good to know we can score and play
an up-tempo if we have to."
Game notes Miami's 43-point first quarter was just two points shy of
its franchise high accomplished Nov. 19, 1997, against the
Clippers. ... The 74-point first half is one point shy of a
franchise record and two points shy of the record for any half. ...
The only other time the Heat has opened a season at 4-1 was during
the 1996-97 season. ... The victory was Miami's 400th against 475
losses in its 12th season. ... Dallas has been outrebounded in all
six games this season. ... Pat Riley-coached teams have won 25
straight against Dallas dating back to the 1987-88 season. Riley is
10-0 against Dallas with the Heat. ... Bradley's 3-pointer in the
third quarter was his first since the 1997-98 season. He was 0-for-4 last season and is 3-for-26 in his career. ... Miami rookie Rodney Buford made his first appearance since
being sent home from Toronto after customs agents found marijuana
in his sock Nov. 3. Buford entertained the crowd with a high-flying
dunk and a 3-pointer late in the game.
| |
ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
Indiana 116 Orlando 101
Seattle 109 Cleveland 103
Toronto 123 Detroit 106
Miami 128 Dallas 105
Minnesota 93 New York 90
|