http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083572789101960.xml NO MORE MR. NICE GUY Brown, Hornets fight back to extend playoff series vs. Heat to a seventh game Monday, May 03, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer Usually Hornets forward P.J. Brown is smiling and talkative before games. On Sunday, he wasn't smiling or talkative. It wasn't a time to be friendly. The Hornets were facing first-round playoff elimination against the Miami Heat, and starting summer vacation early wasn't an option. Brown came to work at 7:30 a.m., inspired and intense with an objective to force a Game 7 on Tuesday night in Miami. Brown and the Hornets put their urgency to use in a resounding 89-83 victory in front of the first home sellout crowd in the series, 17,297 at New Orleans Arena, to even the series at 3. "I definitely think the stakes were raised today in an elimination game with our backs against the wall," Brown said. "For us to extend our season, we had to give everything." Brown, who had a team-high nine rebounds, finished tied with forward George Lynch for a team-high 16 points. All five Hornets starters scored in double figures. And the Hornets' reserves outscored the Heat's 18-4. Brown talked back to the Heat's players a few times after he scored. He pushed, bumped and chased after Heat forward Lamar Odom for most of the game. Odom, who entered as the Heat's leading scorer with a 17.8 average, didn't handle the challenge well. He was held to nine points before fouling out with 2:20 remaining. It wasn't only Brown playing aggressively and exchanging words with Heat players. Physical play was the focal point of the game from both teams, as was trash-talking. Officials Sean Corbin and Blane Reichelt were left to control most of it after crew member Joe Crawford had to leave the game in the first quarter. He suffered a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and did not return. In the fourth quarter, Hornets forward Robert Traylor was ejected after getting into a heated exchange with Heat players after he knocked Eddie Jones to the floor after blocking his shot. Earlier in the quarter another heated exchange escalated between Hornets point guard Baron Davis and the Heat's Bimbo Coles, who is not on the team's playoff roster but sat on the bench. No technicals were given. "I said after Game 1 that whoever walks out of this series will have a big bruise," Hornets guard David Wesley said. It appeared there wasn't much doubt about the Hornets making their way back to Miami. A Davis jumper gave the Hornets their largest lead at 65-46 with 3:45 remaining in the third quarter. "We're angry at ourselves that we didn't play like we are capable," said Heat backup guard Rafer Alston, who was held to one point and missed all four shots from the field. "We only played in spurts." The Hornets did not trail, but they had some tense moments trying to close out the game. They were forced to scramble after Dwyane Wade's layup with 41.2 seconds left cut the lead to 87-83. But New Orleans made four of six free throws in the final 50.9 seconds, and shut out the Heat after Wade's layup. In Games 1 and 5, Wade made crucial shots to turn the outcome in the Heat's favor. He couldn't do it Sunday but finished with a game-high 27 points. In the first quarter, the Hornets led 21-14 without Davis taking a shot. Davis, who scored 15 points and had a game-high 12 assists, didn't have to be a shooter, because Lynch scored six of the Hornets' first eight points. Lynch didn't stop there. The Heat hardly challenged his shots from the perimeter. He made seven of 14 shots, including two of three 3-point attempts. In Game 5, Lynch missed nine of 10 shots and was held to five points. "I just need to make sure that if it's up to me to set the tone in the beginning of the game, then I need to be there for our team to get involved." Lynch said. "During the regular season, I sat back and tried to fit in where the guys can be themselves. I just did my role and was happy with that. But now the game is on the line." The Hornets got back on defense quickly, allowing 12 fast-break points. They held the Heat to 38.7 percent shooting. In the second quarter, the Hornets held the Heat to 6-of-18 shooting, outscoring them 22-19, to take a 43-33 halftime lead. "Composure is everything, especially in this series," Davis said. "The team that's been able to get stops at the end and hit big shots has been the team to win." . . . . . . . John Reid can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405. --

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