http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/ sfl-hornetnotes20apr20,0,11918.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Failure to foul led to Game1loss By Shandel Richardson Staff Writer Posted April 20 2004 CORAL GABLES - Despite the way it turned out, Hornets coach Tim Floyd said the plan was to foul on the Heat's final possession. It didn't happen. And their failure to do so allowed Dwyane Wade to hit a floater with 1.3 seconds left to give the Heat an 81-79 victory and a 1-0 series lead in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hornets had one foul to give but never used it. "Our plan was to foul and everybody knew that coming out of the timeout," Floyd said after the team's practice Monday at the Hecht Center on the University of Miami campus. Wade used a crossover dribble to slip past Baron Davis, who was hobbled by an ankle injury, and hit the winning shot just inside the free throw line. The fact that Davis was even in the game raised questions. He had five personals, giving him no chance to foul Wade. Floyd said he couldn't use backup Darrell Armstrong, who will likely miss Game 2 with an ankle injury. Guard Shammond Williams was on the bench, but Floyd said Davis was the best option. "That's where we were," Floyd said. "With Armstrong out and [the Heat] having dribble penetrators at three spots, you only have X numbers of guys with potential to guard them, Baron being one of them." The Hornets refused to blame the decision for the loss. "In hindsight, there are a lot of things we could have done differently in the game," forward Jamaal Magloire said. "I think we'll definitely be more prepared this time around." INSIDE ADVANTAGE The Hornets still plan to utilize their advantage on the inside. Their lineup features Magloire (6 feet 11), P.J. Brown (6-11), Robert Traylor (6-8) and David West (6-8). "We still feel like we have the advantage," Magloire said. "And we want to use it. We can't just get down 0-1 and think the series is any different." The Hornets have gotten used to playing from behind in the playoffs. They were down 0-2 last year against Philadelphia and Milwaukee in 2001. The Hornets lost to the 76ers in six games and lost to the Bucks in seven games. "We've been in this situation plenty of times," Davis said. "We're definitely equipped to handle it." FAMILIAR FACE For Brown, Miami will always be one of the favorite stops in his 10-year career. Brown played for the Heat from 1996-2000. "I had a wonderful time here, living and playing here," he said. "I have strong feelings for this organization. But it's definitely business because I'm here to advance and move to the second round." PRAISE FOR WADE LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were the two most discussed rookies, but Hornets players believe Wade should join the list. Wade scored 21 points in his postseason debut. "He's athletic," guard David Wesley said. "He handles the ball well, penetrates well. It looks like he has a lot of confidence. He's going to be hard to guard in this series." Copyright c 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel --

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