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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) -- Tim Hardaway couldn't wait to return and Jamal
Mashburn just wanted to stay.
|  | | Mr. Hardaway, left, meet Mr. Bimbo Coles. |
Hardaway returned to the lineup after missing 26 games, but it
was Mashburn, the subject of trade talks, who keyed Miami's 101-79
victory over the slumping Atlanta Hawks on Friday night.
Mashburn, playing in his first game since learning he was nearly
dealt to Philadelphia, scored 28 points. Hardaway scored just two
points on 1-of-6 shooting but dished out 11 assists in 26 minutes.
It was his first game since injuring his right knee Dec. 1.
"I knew Mash would rise to the occasion," said Hardaway, who
had no turnovers. "He's like I am. He likes a little confusion,
controversy out there on the basketball court. Coach told us he's
not making the move and he'll stick with us. Mash showed us he
wants to stay."
Alonzo Mourning added 20 points and eight rebounds.
"Mash had a sensational game," Mourning said. "He was able to block out all the negativity floating in the air and play his game."
Atlanta, 3-16 on the road, has lost 10 of its last 12 games,
including four straight, and eight in a row to the Heat in Miami.
Miami outscored the Hawks 62-37 in the second half as
cold-shooting Atlanta made just 13 of 43 attempts.
"We can't go on playing this way and if our play doesn't
change, then we will have to do something," Hawks coach Lenny
Wilkens said. "Either change the lineup or move somebody."
Heat coach Pat Riley expressed similar thoughts after Miami's
dismal home loss to Chicago on Tuesday. He praised Mashburn's
ability to block out the week's distractions, including a proposed
trade that had him going to Philadelphia for Larry Hughes, Billy
Owens, Bruce Bowen and Nazr Mohammed. Mashburn shot 10-of-19.
"He's a professional; this is a profession," Riley said.
"That's exactly how he handled that and I'm proud of it."
Jimmy Jackson paced the Hawks with 18 points. Dikembe Mutombo, the NBA's field-goal percentage leader, shot just 1-of-11 from the
field for six points with 20 rebounds. Isaiah Rider, who had been averaging 23 points, had just 12 on 6-of-22 shooting.
Mashburn scored seven points in Miami's 16-6 run to start the
fourth quarter, boosting the Heat's 67-58 lead to 83-64 with seven
minutes remaining.
"When I get between those lines it's all mental," Mashburn
said. "I just go out and play basketball."
The Hawks missed their first seven shots of the third quarter
and went 5-of-20 in the period to help Miami turn a 42-39 halftime
deficit into a nine-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.
After missing his first five shots, Hardaway hit a running bank
shot at 10:09 of the third quarter. He then fed Mashburn for a
fast-break layup to key an 8-0 burst and a 51-44 Heat lead.
"When I first brought the ball up I had the jitters," Hardaway
said. "After that I was happy to be out there, feeling my oats."
Mashburn hit back-to-back jumpers to boost Miami's lead to
60-50. After LaPhonso Ellis hit two straight jumpers, Anthony
Carter hit a 20-footer and a hard-driving layup to give Miami a
67-58 lead after three.
Game notes
Hardaway made his 250th start with the Heat. Miami is 16-10
without him and 9-3 with him. Rookie guard-forward Rodney Buford
was placed on the injured list with tendinitis of the knee to make
room for Hardaway. Buford, a second-round draft pick, averaged 2.5
points in 15 games. ... Miami averaged more than 12 points less
with Hardaway out (106.2 to 93.5). ... Mutombo missed his first
nine shots before converting a putback with 1:16 left in the third.
... Atlanta committed just one turnover in the first half, tying a
Heat opponent record low. ... The Heat's starting backcourt,
Hardaway and Dan Majerle, shot a combined 0-for-8 in the first half. Majerle's streak of 32 games with at least one 3-pointer came
to an end, one shy of tying the team record held by Hardaway.
Majerle did tie his season high with 10 rebounds. ... Miami held
Atlanta to 30.4 percent shooting, a season low for any Heat
opponent. Miami shot 50.6 percent and is now 10-0 when shooting 50
percent or better.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 111
Seattle 86
Washington 123
Indiana 113
Miami 101
Atlanta 79
Phoenix 101
Denver 99
Golden State 115
Cleveland 103
Minnesota 95
LA Clippers 89
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