http://www.nola.com/hornets/t-p/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/1083572717101960.xml Hornets play themselves into one-game season Monday, May 03, 2004 John DeShazier Back to Miami, where this marathon of a first-round series began three dog years ago. Where the season will end for the Hornets or the Heat on Tuesday, where the pressure and magnitude of Game 7 will shrink somebody's heart and enlarge somebody's legend, depending on who's left standing. The fact that the Hornets still are upright is due to their most energetic, frenzied, passionate, purposeful and complete game of the series, an 89-83 victory on a Sunday afternoon in which their play and raw emotion lit up New Orleans Arena and would have illuminated the landscape if the lid had been lifted off the building. Where all of that previously has been locked away is anyone's guess, and now makes no difference, because all the "what ifs" and "could have beens" are shrunk to one thing, and one thing only. Back to Miami, for the finale of a series in which the participants have become testier and mouthier with one another by the minute, if not by the second. (Was that gentlemanly Hornet forward P.J. Brown, the NBA's Sportsmanship Award winner, chirping as if Charles Oakley was in the house?) "There was some trash-talking going on," Brown said. "Sometimes, the game gets like that." Back to Miami, where the same wall awaits the Hornets inside AmericanAirlines Arena. Scale it to give the Heat their first loss at home in 16 games and take the series, or fall off it for the fourth time this series and confirm the vacation plans. "We have to get one," Brown said. "We feel comfortable and confident that we can get the job done. We gave away Game 1. We gave away Game 5. Coming down the stretch we didn't take care of the ball and play smart down there. Hopefully we learned our lesson. Hopefully this fourth time will be the charm for us." It will have to be, because there are no more chances in Miami after Tuesday night. The Hornets weren't outstanding all of Game 6 but were close to it long enough. They dispatched Miami even though through almost 3 ½ quarters they had attempted just five foul shots (making four) and had committed enough personal and technical fouls to have put the Heat on the line 24 times, where Miami converted 19. The Hornets led in the brawn (34 points in the lane to Miami's 32) and hustle (18 second-chance points to Miami's 14), played the Heat virtually even on the fast break (12-11 Miami) and held serve for the third time in the series, to match Miami. It was a little more interesting than it should have been, and the Hornets were decidedly more immature than you'd expect, especially in the fourth quarter when an 80-62 lead with 8:10 left shrank to 85-81 seven minutes later. The Hornets' debate with Heat players and personnel on Miami's bench, several of whom aren't even on the playoff roster, made absolutely no sense in a game where officials were tossing around technical fouls like candy, trying to maintain control. But "Hornets" and "easy" don't fit comfortably into the same sentence. They've done it the hard way in the playoffs, same as the regular season. "We've got to play smarter," forward George Lynch said. "We stressed that in the locker room. Game 7, we've got to be a little more focused, not be involved in the chit-chat." "We have to play our game, period," Heat center Brian Grant said. "Talking and composure, you have to try to keep that intact. We have to play the game, regardless of talking. We have to play the game, and if we play, I have confidence in this team at the end." He has confidence in his team, the Hornets have confidence in theirs, and someone's belief will be supported Tuesday night. Back to Miami, where all of this started and, for one team, where it's going to end. . . . . . . . John DeShazier can be reached at [email protected] or (504) 826-3410. --

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