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Saturday, Dec. 23 7:30pm ET
Marbury's 37 not enough for Nets

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Eddie Jones has made up his mind to be more aggressive, and after just two games the results are there.

Jones scored 31 points for the second straight night Saturday and the Miami Heat held off a second-half rally to hand the New Jersey Nets their fourth straight setback, 86-80.

"I need to be aggressive and attack the rim," said Jones after he hit on eight of 15 shots and 13 of 16 free throws, grabbed five rebounds and added three steals. "I want to put pressure on the officials to either make a call or let me miss or make a shot."

The strategy seems to be working for Jones, who went 12-for-12 from the line Friday in a 103-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"I'm trying to go with the attitude that I have to create in order for us to be a pretty good team," said Jones, who had 21 points in the first half and then added six in the late going against New Jersey.

"I think you're seeing something a little different from Eddie," said Miami coach Pat Riley, whose club won for the sixth straight time in the second game of a back-to-back set. "He's taking the ball to the basket. He's mixing up his jumpers and drives extremely well."

Riley was also pleased with the Miami defense.

Stephon Marbury made 12 of 22 shots and had 37 for the Nets. But his teammates combined to shoot just 18-of-59, leaving the Nets without enough firepower to catch the Heat.

"Some guys made shots and some guys didn't," said Marbury. "We have to stay positive. We've got to continue to shoot and eventually it will happen.

"It's a bad time for us as far as playing basketball," Marbury said. "Right now we're a little frustrated on defense and it looks like we're fighting the offense. We're not letting it work for us. We're not playing free."

The Nets fought to a 52-all tie with 5:34 to play in the third period as Marbury tallied on a driving layup. But the Heat opened some room by scoring nine of the next 11 points -- four by Brian Grant -- to open a 61-54 advantage.

Marbury's 3-pointer with 7:29 remaining in the fourth period pulled New Jersey to 73-66, but Miami went on a 9-4 run that included a 3-point basket by Jones to open its biggest lead of the game, 79-67 with 3:06 to play.

Marbury hit two foul shots and a 3-pointer with 7.4 to go to make things interesting before Jones closed the scoring with two free throws with 6.6 remaining.

Brian Grant had 18 points and Tim Hardaway added 15 for the Heat, while Aaron Williams tallied 12 points and had a career-high 19 rebounds for the Nets.

Game notes
Nets forward Keith Van Horn, who has been out the whole season after fracturing his left fibula in the preseason, will begin practicing with the team Wednesday. ... Veteran Heat forward Dan Majerle, activated from the injured list Friday and playing in just his second game this year, reaggravated his left hamstring injury late in the first half and did not return.
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RECAPS
Atlanta 91
Indiana 87

Charlotte 88
San Antonio 84

Detroit 106
Chicago 93

Miami 86
New Jersey 80

Orlando 111
Cleveland 92

Utah 98
Minnesota 92

Golden State 95
Houston 87

Milwaukee 104
Boston 99

Phoenix 102
Denver 93

Portland 87
Washington 70

LA Clippers 92
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Sacramento 97
Seattle 92

AUDIO/VIDEO
video
 Eddie Jones steals the inbounds pass and finishes with a jam.
avi: 503 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1


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