http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/basketball/heat/ sfl-heatside22apr22,0,1114444.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat Veterans Jones, Grant contribute in blowout win By Harvey Fialkov Staff Writer Posted April 22 2004 MIAMI -- For four years, Heat starters Brian Grant and Eddie Jones have been criticized for making maximum money for complementary skills. Make that complimentary, as the two 32-year-olds heard nothing but praise after scoring a combined 34 points to key a 93-63 rout Wednesday night that gave the Heat a 2-0 lead over the Hornets in the best-of-7, first-round series. "The young guys have gotten a lot of credit and deservedly so," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "[Grant and Jones] just want everybody to know they're still here and a big part of it." Instead of being applauded for playing unselfishly in Game 1, Jones took some heat for finishing with just five points on five shots, including none in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 81-79 victory. Hornets guard David Wesley was credited by both coaches for playing skin-tight defense on Jones in the first game, but on Wednesday, Jones took advantage of his 5-inch height advantage and scored 19 points, including an early jumper that gave the Heat a 4-3 lead it wouldn't relinquish. "Sounds like [the media] all killed him, so he had to be aggressive," Wesley said. "He got some shots in transition where as last game he didn't." Jones also locked down a sore-toed Wesley, a 14-point scorer, to eight points on 2-of-9 shooting. "I was just looking for opportunities," said Jones, who made all six of his free throws and had eight rebounds, three assists and a block. "They got me the ball. "The other night I was aggressive. I was just making plays. If you're not taking shots they always have something to say." Grant's interior defense is often taken for granted, and once again he blanketed Jamaal Magloire, the Hornets' 6-11 center, who finished with nine points on 4-of-11 shooting and 10 rebounds. But when Grant, the Heat's fifth option on offense, is stepping back and popping 15-foot jumpers, it opens up a Pandora's box for defenses because then the Hornets' big men have to come out and guard him. "It's a long night [for opponents] especially if Brian's hitting the shots because that helps Dwyane [Wade], Lamar [Odom] and Eddie drive and finish at the rim," guard Rafer Alston said. "[Jones and I have] both been around long enough to know that sometimes it's not always the scoring or the numbers," said Grant, who made 6 of 13 for 15 points, to go with 11 rebounds and a block. "It's all the little things that you do out there. It's about winning at this point." Jones couldn't help but laugh at the fans' meager attempt at a wave in the fourth quarter. "The last time I saw the wave I was in high school," said Jones, who attended Ely High. And Grant went along for the ride. "It's already tough enough with the other guys, but if Brian's hitting that jumper ..., " shrugged Hornets' P.J. Brown, who Grant helped force into 2-of-12 shooting. "He was butter." Copyright c 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel --

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