Davis nets 21 points as Hornets beat Heat 77-71
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-25 17:28

Baron Davis, nursing a sprained left ankle, had a team-high 21 points as the New Orleans Hornets held the Miami Heat to 32.9 percent shooting in a 77-71 victory Saturday.

``I just know when the season's over I'm going to lay in bed for three weeks,'' said Davis, who went to the floor several times in the game after driving hard to the hoop. ``My elbow, my knee, my ankle, back _ just got to keep fighting.''

The Heat now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday in New Orleans.

``I expect it to pick up. We're not losing without a fight,'' Heat forward Lamar Odom said. ``Every time it's going to come down to the wire and be a close game. It's going to be a schoolyard scrap.''

The Hornets shot just 35.5 percent but made up for it with their defense.

``It's just physical. They're a tough team and we know if we're going to win the series we've got to get down and dirty with them,'' Hornets forward P.J. Brown said.

David Wesley shot 3-of-4 from 3-point range for 18 points, while the struggling Jamaal Magloire fought through constant double-teams for 12 points, including two free throws in the final minute that gave New Orleans a much-needed four-point cushion.

New Orleans, coming off an embarrassing 93-63 loss in Game 2, led 59-50 early in the final period after George Lynch's baseline jump shot. Then Odom and Caron Butler combined to help Miami chip away.

Butler finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Odom had 18.

Pistons 95, Bucks 85

In Milwaukee, Ben Wallace had 13 points and 21 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons shut down the Milwaukee Bucks over the final four minutes for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series.

Game 4 is Monday in Milwaukee.

Detroit, expected to come out firing after losing to Milwaukee at home this week, gave up 30 points in the first period and needed a run at the start of the third period to take its first lead of the game.

A dunk by Milwaukee's Joe Smith pulled the Bucks within 85-84 with just over four minutes remaining before Detroit employed its suffocating defense.

The Bucks missed their final nine shots, with their only point down the stretch coming on a free throw by Desmond Mason with 2:53 left.

Wallace, limited by foul trouble in the first half, grabbed 16 of his rebounds and scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half. Chauncey Billups scored 21 points to lead Detroit.

Mavericks 104, Pistons 79

In Dallas, Marquis Daniels shook, spun and shot his way to 11 of his 22 points during a third-quarter spurt that deflated the Sacramento Kings and sent the Dallas Mavericks to a 104-79 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night.

Dallas, down 2-1 in the series, has a chance to even it in Game 4 Monday night. Game 5 in Sacramento is on Thursday night.

Dirk Nowitzki remained a consistent force with 21 points and Michael Finley added 18, one shy of his total for the first two games.

Sacramento's Mike Bibby showed no signs of a strained hip sustained in practice Friday, scoring 22 points. He had 15 of Sacramento's 25 first-quarter points, making six straight shots along the way.

Chris Webber was 9-for-17 for 22 points for the Kings.

Nuggets 107, Timberwolves 86

In Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and added 10 rebounds to lead the Nuggets in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series.

Playing at home in the postseason for the first time in nine years, the Nuggets earned their first home playoff victory in a decade and avoided going down 3-0 in the series.

They can even the series Tuesday in Denver.

Latrell Sprewell scored 25 points and Kevin Garnett added 24 for the Timberwolves, who fell behind by 17 points early in the game and only mounted one serious threat after that.

Marcus Camby had 16 rebounds and Denver had a 53-36 edge on the boards.

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