http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083490074105300.xml Hornets determined to battle to the end N.O. seeks to correct miscues, stay alive Sunday, May 02, 2004 By John Reid Staff writer Before the season started, Hornets majority owner George Shinn regarded his veteran players under contract so highly that he suggested a berth to the NBA Finals was reachable. After 41 regular-season wins and two home playoff victories, the Hornets are in no better position now than they were last season when they were eliminated in the first round 4-2 by the Philadelphia 76ers. The Hornets are under the same pressure to win going into today's Game 6 against the Miami Heat, which holds a 3-2 series lead. If the Hornets lose, they're eliminated. A Hornets victory, though, would force a Game 7 on Tuesday in Miami. Neither team has lost at home in the series. Since the regular season, the Heat has won 15 consecutive games at AmericanAirlines Arena. "We've got to win, and I don't care how we do it," Hornets guard Darrell Armstrong said. "If we don't, then we can get our golf clubs, fishing hats and start our vacations plans. We'll be done." If so, it would begin a busy offseason where a decision by Shinn will be made regarding Coach Tim Floyd's job status. Also, the Hornets might make some major trades or pursue a few high-profile free agents, because next season they make the move to the stronger Western Conference. None of the Hornets' players are thinking that far ahead, but they said they hope the mistakes they have made will be corrected. In their 87-83 loss Friday night, the Hornets blew a nine-point lead in the third quarter and were outplayed during the final two minutes. Point guard Baron Davis still has been the Hornets' best player. In Game 5, he made 11 of 18 shots for a game-high 33 points. For the series, he is averaging 21.4 points, 6.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 39.4 minutes, despite playing with a sore left ankle. "He laid it on the line for us (Friday) and played probably his best game of the year," Hornets forward P.J. Brown said. But Davis can't do it alone. He didn't get enough help in Game 5. After scoring 17 points in Game 4, forward Stacey Augmon missed seven of nine shots and was held to four points. Starting forward George Lynch, who scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in Game 4, missed nine of 10 shots in Game 5 and was held to five points and committed four turnovers. Armstrong shot 1-of-7 and missed five of six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. "Taking good shots and getting good offensive calls from the bench and then executing them is what we have to do," said guard David Wesley, who scored 10 points Friday. "But you've got to take your hats off to the Heat, and we have to do better. Their ability in finding ways to score down the stretch in two of the three games in Miami were solid. They got it done, and we didn't." In both home games, the Hornets successfully limited Heat guard Dwyane Wade from making driving shots in the lane. But the Heat showed more poise than the Hornets in Game 5, especially Wade. For the second time in the series, Wade made a game-turning shot. In Game 5 with 54.4 seconds remaining, he made a 3-pointer from the right corner to give the Heat an 83-80 lead. In Game 1, he made a driving shot in the lane with 1.3 seconds remaining for the two-point victory. Heat coach Stan Van Gundy is looking for Wade to make more crucial shots today. Van Gundy also wants the same aggressive defensive play that forced the Hornets into shooting 3-of-16 from behind the 3-point line during the fourth quarter. "Our guys battled like crazy," Van Gundy said. "We just did what we always do, we just hung around." Physical play is expected to continue from both teams. Throughout the series, there have been numerous knockdowns and hard bumping. A punch has been thrown, too. Heat backup guard Rafer Alston was ejected after he intentionally hit Wesley in the groin in the third quarter Friday. "When the ball goes up, it is going to be nothing less than a basketball battle," Heat center Brian Grant said. "It's going to be an intense and physical game (today). There has not been a series this year where you have seen two teams battling it out like this." . . . . . . . John Reid can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3405. --

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