Nov

17

Turnover-prone Nets fall to Heat 91-87

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main 

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Miami Heat center Shaquille O?Neal shoots over New Jersey Nets center Nenad Krstic, left, during the fourth quarter of the New Jersey Nets-Miami heat game played Saturday night. Miami beat New Jersey 91-87.

?The New Jersey Nets outshot and outrebounded the Miami Heat, yet they found a way to lose tonight at East Rutherford, NJ, 91-87.? That’s right - turnovers did them in.? Any time you commit twenty-six turnovers during a game, chances are pretty good that you’ll lose.

Before the game, Nets head coach Lawrence Frank, in what may have been a challenge to the team, called them, “offensively-challenged”.? I guess I would too if my team was ranked #29 in the NBA in scoring average (85.6 PPG).? The Nets were sharp to start the game, making their first 7 shots.? They didn’t make any more baskets during the first quarter, yet still held a 23-18 lead with 10 points in the quarter by Nets forward Richard Jefferson.

The second quarter verified Frank’s pre-game statement, as they had only 3 baskets and a whopping 12 turnovers in the quarter, getting outscored by Miami 27-12.? Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s follow shot with 0.1 seconds left in the half sent Miami into halftime with the lead, 45-35.? Miami extended the lead to 12 early in the early 3rd quarter, with 7 points from Heat center Shaquille O’Neal; however, the Heat missed 12 of 18 shots in the quarter and couldn’t pull away.

Nets forward Bostjan Nachbar’s jumper with 0.5 seconds left in the period vut the Heat’s lead to 63-61.? Miami was up by 5 with less than 9 minutes left in the game when reserve guard Anfernee Hardaway made a 3-pointer; he proceeded to make another one 90 seconds later, giving the Heat a 75-66 lead with 7:22 remaining.

New Jersey forward-center Sean Williams’ basket cut the Heat lead to four with 4 1/2 minutes left, but Miami’s Hardaway answered with another 3-pointer with 4:09 left.? The Nets gradually chipped away at the Miami lead, but Miami’s Wade kept hitting free throws, until he finally missed 2 with 10 seconds left, which set up New Jersey’s last run.

New Jersey’s Jefferson, with less than 10 seconds remaining, caught an inbounds pass right under the rim with New Jersey down by only 2.? But he missed the shot, Wade retrieved the ball and wasn’t fouled until he was in the process of making a jumper as the ball was about to expire.? The Nets were without swingman Vince Carter and guards Darrell Armstrong and Marcus Williams.

Miami was led by the aforementioned Wade with, despite poor shooting (4-of-17), 23 points; O’Neal added 18 and Hardaway chipped in with 16, including a perfect 6-for-6 (including 4-for-4 from the 3-point arc).? New Jersey’s high scorer was rookie Williams with 22 points in an impressive effort; he also grabbed 8 rebounds.? Jefferson added 18 and point guard Jason Kidd contributed a solid effort, providing 16 points, 8 rebounds and 15 assists.?

But turnovers did the Nets in, with Kidd turning the ball over 7 times C while Jamaal Magliore turned the ball over 6 times.? Miami (2-8) will rest until Wednesday; they return home to host the Atlanta Hawks, while New Jersey (4-6) flies to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz on Monday evening.


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