http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1082357918244040.xml Heat clogs middle, slows Magloire Miami is successful with its post defense Monday, April 19, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer MIAMI -- Hornets center Jamaal Magloire moved to his desired spots in the post Sunday night. But Heat defenders kept him surrounded. With that kind of coverage, Magloire couldn't get into an effective offensive rhythm like he did in the final seven regular-season games, when he averaged 21.7 points. The Heat held Magloire to 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in its 81-79 victory against the Hornets in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series at sold-out AmericanAirlines Arena. "I thought I played poorly, and I wasn't able to get into the flow of the game," Magloire said. "I didn't make shots. Ultimately that bothers me, and I take that very personal." Despite rallying from a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie it late, the Hornets' expected inside advantage against the smaller Heat didn't become a factor. The Heat made its intentions known early. Miami didn't give Magloire many clear looks at the basket or open paths. Center Brian Grant stayed close and aggressively contested. When backup Udonis Haslem entered, he didn't back away or allow Magloire to shoot without being challenged. "The physical play in the post, we know it's going to be like that for the entire series, but we have to win that battle," forward P.J. Brown said. "They're not going to let anybody score easy in there." The Heat didn't throughout the first quarter. Magloire missed six of his first seven shots. His luck didn't get any better in the second quarter -- Magloire took two shots and missed both. "I've got to make sure I come back a lot stronger and more prepared for the next game," Magloire said. "They did a good job doubling and triple-teaming me when I caught the ball. But at that point, we just got to find the open man." Despite the continued pressure in the post, Magloire fared better in the second half. He made four of six shots for 10 points. He scored six points in the fourth quarter. It wasn't the first time the Heat has caused problems for Magloire. In four games against Miami during the regular season, Magloire was 5-of-22 and averaged six points per game. At practice the past two days, the Heat worked extensively on its post defense. "We focused really hard the last couple of days on defending their big men," Haslem said. "It was a battle down there though because there was a lot of pushing, a lot of shoving and a lot of elbows. But you just have to keep playing. It's playing time." The Heat outscored the Hornets 34-28 in the post and limited Brown to 10 points. Backup center Robert Traylor played 11 minutes and was held to two points. Rookie forward David West, despite the defensive pressure, was one of the Hornets' most successful scorers in the post. He made four of five shots for eight points. Still, the Heat took advantage of another expected Hornets strength. It outrebounded the Hornets 41-39, despite Brown and Magloire each finishing with a team-high 11. "I just didn't get into the flow I usually do," Magloire said. "But I didn't have a good offensive game, and we still had a chance to win. So I don't have to score by any means to help this team win. All I have to do is rebound and alter shots. I can do that without scoring any time." . . . . . . . John Reid can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405. --

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