http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083146250317290.xml Augmon lets his game do the talking Wednesday, April 28, 2004 John DeShazier As is usually the case when he's approached for an interview request, Stacey Augmon politely begged off. "Nothing to say," he seemed to suggest. "Said it all on the court," he could have added. The Hornets and Miami Heat are back where they started, tied in their first-round series at 2 and in a sprint as each seeks to finish off the other. Tied and looking to see who can win two of three the fastest in large part because Augmon played the kind of game anyone would've loved to talk about on Tuesday night at New Orleans Arena. New Orleans' 96-85 victory was shaped by Augmon as much as anyone. He had 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and four clutch foul shots in the final 31 seconds. But his performance was highlighted by a corkscrewed, 16-foot bank shot with the shot clock expiring and the Hornets clinging to a four-point lead with 2:08 left. That shot, with a defender draped over him and an off-the-chart degree of difficulty, gave New Orleans an 86-80 lead. And if it didn't break the Heat, it certainly cracked them. "He's the consummate professional," forward P.J. Brown said. "One thing about Stacy, he's always going to be ready. I'm not surprised. He's always been like that." Always been a pro about his role as a starter or reserve, about his shot attempts or lack of same, about whether his minutes occur during the heart of the game or during garbage time. But even with all that, Tuesday's game certainly should have been one to make Augmon, 35, smile. Likely, it will rank among the most memorable in a 12-year career. Augmon, not known as an offensive force, made six of 10 from the field and five of six from the line. But his work from the field was the eye-opener. He seems to shoot best with a hand in his face, after he has pivoted off a defender, as he's fading away or leaning to one side. "I thought (the 16-footer) was probably one of the toughest shots we saw all night," Brown said. "That was an unbelievable shot. That's why they call him 'Plastic Man.' He's able to twist his body in the air, able to find a way to get his shot off. He just has a way of getting that ball in the hole. "When I used to play against him, I always wondered how he did it. I've played with him the last three years, and I'm still wondering as a teammate." Join the crowd. It isn't always picturesque, and it certainly isn't orthodox. But when it's effective, who's to argue that it isn't by the book? Heck, that isn't even the best part of Augmon's game. Defense has been and remains his meal ticket, and he helped the Hornets do the job on Heat forward Caron Butler and guard Eddie Jones. If he has conceded anything athletically to age, it's not so noticeable as to be exploited. And that's a big if. "He takes great care of his body," Brown said. And Tuesday, he took care of the Heat for the Hornets. "Stacey down the stretch . . . man," teammate David Wesley marveled. "He's been around. He knows how to play the game. He knows how to get the job done. He just played big." "Stacey is a veteran player," Hornets forward George Lynch said. "He plays the game smart. He knows how to play playoff basketball. It's great to have guys like that on your team." He and Lynch combined to give the Hornets 28 points, 11 rebounds and five assists from the small forward position. "They just dominated us at that slot," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "That was a killer in the game." In the case of Augmon, a silent killer -- at least, when the time comes to talk about the damage. . . . . . . . John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410. --

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