http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/ sfl-heat23apr23,0,4593600.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Van Gundy's game plan: Keep looking ahead By Harvey Fialkov Staff Writer Posted April 23 2004 MIAMI -- To a pseudo-perfectionist like Heat coach Stan Van Gundy, Cindy Crawford is that model with the mole, Mona Lisa needs to smile more, and the glass isn't just half empty, it's sprung a leak, too. So don't expect Van Gundy's disciples to get full of themselves after holding on to a 2-0 home-court advantage over the reeling Hornets in this best-of-7 first-round series. After all, six of the remaining seven higher seeds (15-1 home-court edge) pulled off a similar home sweep. Even after Wednesday's historic 30-point dismantlement of a banged up, discouraged group of Hornets who seem to have lost their sting, Van Gundy put an end to excessive basking. "Everyone's pretty levelheaded," said rookie guard Dwyane Wade at Thursday's media session, a rare day off for the team. "He told us no matter what, we still ain't that good. We never stay with the moment. Coach does a great job with making us move on after the game." The fourth-seeded Heat is moving on to New Orleans, where it split two games this season. Despite knowing that only seven teams in history have come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a seven-game series, Van Gundy isn't about to paint a rosy picture for his squad, which has won 19 of its past 23 games. "As always we had a couple of defensive breakdowns and in the second half we made some careless turnovers," said Van Gundy after watching video of Wednesday's 93-63 blowout. "At the end of the first half we weren't finishing real well. I don't know if it's focus ... but we missed 13 layups in the game. "No matter how well you play, there's lots of blemishes, and no matter how poorly you play, there's lots of positives." At least he didn't mention the 2-of-15 3-point brick-tossing exhibition or getting outrebounded on the offensive boards by seven (19-12). "He's just already looking at the next. He's concentrated on what we've got to work on right away, what we can do better," said assistant coach Keith Askins. "He wants perfection and you can't argue with the man." Van Gundy does briefly point out the bright spots during team video sessions, such as the fact that the Heat has outscored the taller, stronger Hornets 70-50 and outrebounded them in both games. He just doesn't hand out any gold stars. "Stan will let you know you can still improve in all areas," said Heat point guard Rafer Alston. "He'll compliment you, don't get me wrong, but the improvement points far exceed the compliments. He doesn't want you to let up or get a big head and think you're God's gift to this game after a 30-point win." Heat center Brian Grant is sounding more like Van Gundy every day. Even after transforming Hornets All-Star center Jamaal Magloire into a David Copperfield illusion, and adding 15 points and 11 rebounds to boot, he was moaning about a few missed shots and rebounds. "I can't be satisfied," Grant said. "We never settle for mediocrity and I know Coach doesn't." Van Gundy said he has faith that his younger players, such as Wade, Udonis Haslem, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom won't ease off the accelerator just because the Hornets are staggering like a punch-drunk fighter. "Coach is more intense after a 30-point win because he doesn't want us to get too comfortable," said Butler, who is averaging 15 points, seven rebounds and four steals in two games. "We've still got too much work to do." Van Gundy said he isn't concerned about any back-pedaling. He cited his team's maturity after clinching a playoff berth a week early and then again in beating the Nets in what essentially was a meaningless regular-season finale. "I was surprised [again Wednesday] coming back after the first win, I thought that was the perfect time for young guys who had gotten their first playoff experience and win to let up," Van Gundy said. "We're counting on the maturity of our team to understand how much more work is at stake in this series." Van Gundy and his bosses know he wouldn't have finished in a tie for third in Wednesday's Coach of the Year voting or would ever have dug out from a 0-7 start if he was easily satisfied. "As coach, you're trying to get to the reality of the situation," Van Gundy said. "Pat [Riley] always said that his job as coach was to define reality as he saw it. "It's not all bad or all good no matter what went on. You try to get to, 'Here's what we need to work on. Here's what we did well that we need to continue to do, and here's what they did well against us that we've got to stop.' You just have got to stay objective." While his slick-haired mentor prefers Bruce Springsteen's The Rising, Van Gundy's personality seems more suited toward The Rolling Stones, as in I Can't Get No Satisfaction. But they'll try. Copyright c 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel --

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