Mourning-Less Heat Burn Nets

It was a lot easier for the Miami Heat to win without Alonzo Mourning than it was for the New Jersey Nets to simply play without Keith Van Horn.

Miami not only has a lot more talent than the injury-riddled Nets, Pat Riley's team was still smarting from blowing a 20-point second-half lead to New York on Sunday.

"We wanted them to feel our heat and show them they couldn't take it to us," said point guard Tim Hardaway, one of five Miami players to score in double figures. "The team feels good things are coming."

"The only thing that has messed us up was that game on Sunday," Hardaway said. "We're still thinking about it and we don't want it to happen again."

The other thing that could really hurt Miami would be a serious injury to Mourning. Only one of three players in the NBA averaging more than 20 points and 11 rebounds, he missed his first game of the season after being hit in the right eye in Cleveland on Monday night.

Riley does not believe the injury is serious, but Mourning returned to Miami on Tuesday after being examined by a specialist in Cleveland.

The Heat did not miss him as much as the Nets missed Van Horn, who was lost for the season on Sunday after breaking his left thumb in a win over Indiana. The NBA's sixth-leading scorer (21.8 points), he joined All-Star center Jayson Williams and four other players on the sideline.

"I think if we were full force, no way this happens tonight," Nets forward Kendall Gill said. "We were caught off guard."

Jamal Mashburn had 16 points to lead Miami, which won for the 12th time in its past 15 games to move closer t clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Voshon Lenard added 14 points and Clarence Weatherspoon who started for Mourning and Mark Strickland each added 12 points. The Heat shot 49 percent for the game.

Chris Carr scored 16 of his 18 points in fourth-quarter garbage time to lead New Jersey. Kerry Kittles added 17 points while Stephon Marbury, who had 26 points and a career-high 20 assists in the 120-98 win over the Pacers on Sunday, was limited to 10 points and six assists.

"We knew without Van Horn everything would be geared to Stephon," Heat forward P.J. Brown said. "Defensively we wanted to take him out of his game and that affected their whole team."

Mashburn and Weatherspoon were the catalysts as Miami took a 33-15 lead after the first quarter.

Mashburn hit five shots in the opening 4:58 and Weatherspoon took over on the inside, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds.

"Right from the beginning we established what we wanted to do," Riley said. "We had great intensity. We were sharp. We played great defense. We made shots. Without Zo, a lot of guys stepped up."

Miami pushed the lead to 22 points early in the second quarter and led by as many as 26 points late in the third.

After three quarters, the only question was whether the Nets would be held below their record team low of 62 points.

Notes: The Heat have hit at least one 3-pointer in 420 consecutive games. ... Miami has won 14 of its last 17 games against New Jersey. ... Lenard's 14 points tied his high in an injury-marred season. ... Atlanta coach Lenny Wilkens is the NBA's career leader with 1,148 wins. ... Miami outscored New Jersey 48-26 in the paint. ... Mark Hendrickson, who started in place of Van Horn, had four points and two rebounds.

©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed