http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083572776101960.xml N.O., Miami going toe-to-toe Game 6 action just precursor to final round Monday, May 03, 2004 By Jimmy Smith Staff writer Maybe it's fitting that Game 7 between the Hornets and the Miami Heat will be contested just a roundhouse right from the site of Angelo Dundee's famed 5th Street Gym, where he trained world champions such as New Orleans' Ralph Dupas and Willie Pastrano -- where both fighters helped tutor a kid named Muhammad Ali. Just because this best-of-seven series has included more physical confrontations than many professional boxing matches -- especially Sundays' Game 6 -- doesn't mean that Tuesday's deciding game will be officiated by referees from the WBA, WBC or IBF. But the Heat couldn't go wrong bringing in noted ring announcer Michael Buffer for the pregame introductions. The action at New Orleans Arena was hot and heavy from the beginning Sunday. And the fact that referee Joey Crawford went out with a foot injury near the end of the first quarter made it more difficult for remaining peace-keepers, Blane Reichelt and Sean Corbin, to manage the game. "I said after Game 1, whoever walks out of this series is going to have a big bruise," Hornets guard David Wesley said following the Hornets' black-and-bluish 89-83 victory over the Heat before an in-your-face sellout crowd of 17,297. "And it hasn't changed." Even Hornets fans were aching Sunday. At game's end, a spectator, who didn't leave his courtside seat, was yelling at the Heat as it departed the floor, "Go home." Heat guard Eddie Jones confronted the fan and began jawing with him before teammate Caron Butler stepped between the two and apparently pushed the fan. The fan was led away by security personnel. The incident was caught on videotape and could be investigated by the league, possibly resulting in a suspension for Butler for Game 7. The NBA has no contingency for having an extra official on site in early rounds of the playoffs, in the event of a game-ending injury to an assigned referee. "But there probably should be one from here on out," Hornets executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Bass said following the game. Crawford called three personal fouls in the first 51 seconds before his injury left his partners futilely trying to maintain control of a slugfest. Forty-three personal fouls were called, and five technicals were assessed -- four on the Hornets, including a fourth-quarter ejection of Robert "Tractor" Traylor. The Heat had the edge at the free-throw line, making 21 of 28 attempts. The Hornets went to the line 15 times, making 11. Eight of those, however, came in the game's final two minutes. "It's been like that the whole time," Heat forward Lamar Odom said of the physical play. Odom fouled out in the fourth quarter. "Of course, they were on their death bed today. It's what we expected." Yet players conceded things definitely could have gotten out of hand with just two officials overseeing the proceedings. "The league should think about a stand-by ref," Wesley said. "Things get so heated in the playoffs, and there are so many blind spots for cheap shots and B.S. plays. Things get out of hand. And will get out of hand." . . . . . . . Jimmy Smith can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3814. --

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