http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/ sfl-hornetssid19apr19,0,5339871.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Left ankle is turning out to be Davis' Achilles' heel By Michael Cunningham Staff Writer Posted April 19 2004 MIAMI -- That breakout series New Orleans guard Baron Davis promised most likely will have to wait until he gets his ailing left ankle, and perhaps his mind, right. The ankle, which kept Davis out of nine of the last 11 regular-season games, bothered him during the Hornets' playoff opener against the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena on Sunday. He said he aggravated the injury three times, and that might have played a role on the final two plays, when Davis had his shot blocked by Lamar Odom on a drive and then let Dwyane Wade blow past him for a basket and 81-79 victory. "I think where I made a mistake was I went out there too far on the floor, knowing that I am not 100 percent and couldn't move as well as I wanted to," Davis said. Two poor decisions, not the ankle, took Davis out of the game well before that play. Davis picked up his third foul seconds before halftime and got his fourth less than three minutes into the second half, both on unnecessary plays. "It's tough," Hornets forward P.J. Brown said of Davis' foul trouble. "We've got to have him out on the floor. He's our leader. "I am sure he is going to look at the film, and get his head together and go out and play a smarter game Wednesday." When Davis left with his fourth foul the Hornets led 50-47. When he returned near the end of the third quarter, the Heat was up, 65-59, and Wade had scored five points with him on the bench. Davis picked up his third foul 5.1 seconds before halftime when the Heat's Rafer Alston was bringing the ball up the left sideline in the backcourt when Davis slipped in front of him and drew contact. What was Davis trying to do? "Get out the way," he said. Instead, Davis was called for a blocking foul and went to the bench. He started the second half but it took him less than three minutes to pick up his fourth foul, when he threw a shoulder into Eddie Jones. Davis said his foul trouble played a role on the last play, too. The Hornets had a foul to give but Davis said he didn't want to take it by grabbing Wade and fouling out. Wade got by him and threw a floater over Jamaal Magloire. "There should have been more help," Magloire said, "but Baron is a good defensive player." Not so much with the ankle hurting, Davis said. He said his offense suffered, too, because he couldn't get his usual lift and explosiveness to the basket. "If you watch me play, you will know it limited me a lot in my movement, my drive to the basket," he said. "I wasn't myself out there. "I just need to rest up." Before the Hornets came to town, Davis said he would have a breakout series like two years ago against Orlando, when he averaged 25 points, and atone for a poor showing against Philadelphia last season. He said he still be a force, even with the sore ankle. "I am capable," he said. "It is definitely possible. "I know I just have to rest my ankle and be ready for Game 2." Michael Cunningham can be reached at [email protected]. Copyright c 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel --

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