 Steve Nash and the Mavs have won three straight meetings with Miami, after losing the previous 16. Marc Serota/NBAE/Getty Images 56k | 300k |
The starting point guard for the Heat for the previous five-plus seasons, Hardaway helped Miami become a perennial playoff team. But injuries took a toll and Heat coach Pat Riley shipped him to Dallas in the offseason.
"It wasn't me against them, or Pat Riley against me," Hardaway said. "It was just about the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat playing against each other. We were just trying to get another `W.'"
However, right about now Riley could use a player with the heart Hardaway showed during his tenure in South Florida. The Heat are winless since November 6, playing lifeless basketball.
Not even the return of center Alonzo Mourning could rejuvenate the Heat. After missing three games with a virus related to food poisoning, the All-Star center had 12 points and five rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench.
"It comes down to giving the extra effort," said Mourning. "We know we have enough talent on this team to win games. We get to the point where, hey, it's another loss. We've got to develop a frame of mind that you are not going to suffer a whole season."
"We are looking at bigger and better things," added Hardaway. "They are trying to get themselves together and we are trying to get ourselves together. We just played a little better."
Although Dallas led for entire second half, it was Hardaway's 3-pointer off a feed from fellow reserve guard Adrian Griffin that gave the Mavericks a 66-57 lead. The advantage quickly swelled to 11 by the end of the quarter and Miami did not get closer than nine in the final period.
"We just had too many breakdowns in the second half," Riley said. "I thought the third quarter we did not come with the kind of intensity and energy and effort that I think we needed, especially to get off this schneid."
Hardaway finished with five points on 2-of-7 shooting in 17 minutes. He had a pair of rebounds and one assist for the Mavs, who have won two in a row after three-game losing streak during which they allowed an average of 114.6 points.
"I don't know what else to say other than we played better and I was happy to come away with the win," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "It wasn't an easy victory for us. It was very difficult. We have a lot of guys with bruises on them in there."
The Heat were unable to take advantage of any defensive struggles Dallas might have had. Eddie Jones scored 22 points but the other four Miami starters combined for 24 on 10-of-27 shooting.
Anthony Carter dished out 12 assists, but most of Miami's production came off the bench. Rod Strickland scored 14 points with five assists.
Chris Gatling, Sean Marks and Eddie House combined for 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points -- one shy of a season high -- and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Mavericks, who built a 44-37 advantage on the boards. They shot 47.5 percent (38-of-80) and went 22-of-26 at the foul line.
The Heat did show a little life early, jumping to a 33-23 early second-quarter lead on a jumper by Strickland. But baskets by Donnell Harvey, Steve Nash and Griffin quickly erased most of the deficit.
Dallas put together a 10-0 run later in the quarter. The Mavs took the lead for good when Nash drilled a 3-pointer to make it 41-39 with 4:44 left in the half and Michael Finley followed with a short jumper.
Only a 3-pointer by Sam Mack with in the final seconds of the half pulled Miami within 54-50 entering intermission.
"I think we played with more energy and passion," said Nash, who had 22 points and nine assists. "All the character terms and cliches were in effect. We went on a run but I think it was just a matter of us getting forused and being more determined."