http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1082357874244040.xml Gimpy Davis, N.O. misstep in Miami Wade's runner lifts Heat in series opener Monday, April 19, 2004 By Jimmy Smith Staff writer MIAMI -- In a perfect world, Hornets guard Baron Davis comes into this first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat free of pain, full of mobility and explosion, his mind focused exactingly on winning basketball games. In a perfect world, Davis doesn't get shoved from behind 45 seconds into Sunday's first game, rolling his already sprained right ankle again, robbing him of his elevation and ability to forcefully penetrate the lane and cluttering his psyche with thoughts of whether the next wrong step would be his last of the season. If Davis is physically 100 percent, Heat forward Lamar Odom doesn't get a couple of fingers on Davis' potential winning layup attempt with 13.9 seconds to go. Nor does rookie Dwyane Wade blow past the defending Davis' vulnerable left side for Miami's winning shot, a 10-foot running jumper with 1.3 seconds to go at AmericanAirlines Arena. Reality, however, indicates the Heat won Sunday's opening game, 81-79, despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback in which the Hornets erased a 12-point deficit. And once again this season, Davis must contend with nagging pain that severely diminishes his effectiveness. Last year it was a bone bruise in Davis' left knee, sustained early in Game 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers. This year, it's the ankle, first injured March 23 against the Detroit Pistons (he missed nine of the Hornets' last 11 regular-season games) and aggravated in the opening seconds Sunday. "I just couldn't get any lift," Davis said, trying to explain how Odom managed to get a piece of his driving lay-in attempt with the score tied at 79. "I just wasn't able to explode to the basket and he got a piece of the ball. It was a good defensive play. "And Wade's shot . . . . if I'm healthy, that doesn't happen. It would be a different outcome. They made good plays, but we didn't make the plays to win." So much for playoff experience against playoff youth. Only two of Miami's five starters had playoff experience, while just two of the Hornets' 10-man roster were postseason rookies. Yet the Heat was able to conquer its 18 turnovers. The Hornets, meanwhile, could not overcome their 23. New Orleans managed to control the pace, keeping the Heat under 90 points, a benchmark of failure more often than not for Miami in the regular season, but the Hornets came up short. "We beat ourselves tonight," Davis said, "with turnovers, lack of concentration. Commend them on a great effort. They played to their strengths." A transition team in the regular season, the Heat scored 18 fast-break points to the Hornets' zero but also managed to execute half-court offense when needed, maintaining poise the more veteran team could not. After Odom swatted away Davis' late-game attempt, the Hornets could foul without penalty in the last 11 seconds but couldn't find anyone to grab. Davis, guarding Wade, had five, so that was not an option. His teammates didn't help. "We had talked about having a foul to give," said P.J. Brown, who on Wade's winning drive had to make a choice of sliding over to block his path to the basket or hang with his man, Odom, to whom Wade could have passed. "B.D. is thinking he can't foul because he'd foul out. "They spread the floor real nicely. It's tough to go in and help. He hit a tough shot. It was a running shot, and the percentages are low. I was hoping he'd miss it." In a perfect world, Wade would be frantically concerned with wondering whether Davis would bite on his fake, leaving him an opening to drive into the lane. In reality, Wade knew he had the advantage. "The only thing I was worried about," Wade said, "was getting the ball. Once I had it, I was confident." . . . . . . . Jimmy Smith can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3814. --

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