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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
ATLANTA (AP) -- Having been a model citizen for the past week,
Isaiah Rider was rewarded with a spot in the Atlanta lineup. He
gave the Hawks a tantalizing glimpse of what he can be when on his
best behavior.
He scored and defended. He hustled and encouraged his teammates. And when Rider walked to the bench near the end of a 113-106 victory over the Miami Heat, he flashed a peace sign to the crowd.
|  | | Miami forward Clarence Weatherspoon, left, battles Atlanta center Dikembe Mutombo for control of a rebound. |
For now, life is good.
"I've tried to focus on being on time and being professional,"
said Rider, who scored a season-high 32 points just one week after
serving a one-game suspension for failing to show up at practice.
"I'm definitely under the microscope ... but sometimes that is
good. You have a chance to turn it into a positive."
Rider has been fined several times since joining the Hawks this
season, adding to a long list of malfeasance during his seven years
in the NBA. Several times, he expressed a desire to play elsewhere,
saying he doesn't want to play for a rebuilding team.
Rider seemed more optimistic after starting for the fourth time
this season, having served a sixth-man role the last two games.
"From the preseason to now, we are so much better," Rider
said. "We've made tremendous leaps and strides. I feel a lot
better about my teammates."
One of those teammates couldn't resist a chance to poke fun at
Rider's repeated desire to become the focal point of the Atlanta
offense.
"Give him the damn ball!" Bimbo Coles shouted in the locker
room, drawing a big smile from Rider.
Rider played 43 minutes, hitting 13-of-24 shots from the field,
grabbing four rebounds, dishing out two assists, coming up with two
steals and even blocking a shot.
"He's a competitor and he wants to win," Coles said. "That's
the biggest thing: he wants to win games. He had an opportunity to
go out and play tonight and he showed what he could do."
Atlanta became the first team since the 1996-97 season to score
more than 110 points against the Heat.
"I know we're a better defensive team than we showed," Alonzo
Mourning said. "We pretty much rely on our defense. We let defense
dictate games. We didn't do that today."
Jason Terry added 21 points for Atlanta, scoring 10 in the
fourth quarter when the Heat tried to clamp down on Rider. The
rookie point guard was at the center of a critical three-possession
sequence that allowed the Hawks to break open a close game.
Working behind a screen from Rider, Terry hit a jumper to push
the Hawks to a 96-90 lead. After Alonzo Mourning was called for an offensive foul, Terry hit a 3-pointer as the shot clocked expired
for a 99-90 advantage.
Finally, Terry found the slightest of openings through a crowded
lane, feeding a great bounce pass to Alan Henderson under the
basket. Henderson was fouled on the shot and hit one of two free
throws to give the Hawks their first double-figure lead of the
game, 100-90.
"They were denying J.R. (Rider's nickname) pretty good," Terry
said. "He told me to start looking for my shots."
Miami closed within 107-102 in the final minute but the Hawks
sealed the victory with six straight free throws, including four by
Jim Jackson. He also scored 21 for Atlanta.
Mourning led the Heat with 26 points, his sixth straight game
with at least 20. But it wasn't enough for Miami, which had won
five straight road games and was off to the best 10-game start
(8-2) in franchise history.
Led by Dikembe Mutombo, who had 16 rebounds, the Hawks dominated
the boards, 46-33.
"We got our heads handed to us in that second half," Miami
coach Pat Riley said. "They beat us in every department."
Game notes
Riley was denied his 200th victory as coach of the Heat. He
has a record of 199-108, leaving him one victory short of joining
Lenny Wilkens and Bill Fitch as the only coaches in NBA history to
win 200 games with three different teams. ... Rider picked up the
300th steal of his career. ... The crowd was announced at 11,279,
but the 19,445-seat arena appeared less than half full. ... The
teams will play again Wednesday night in Miami.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Atlanta Clubhouse
RECAPS
Washington 89
Vancouver 87
Atlanta 113
Miami 106
Cleveland 103
Portland 100
Houston 119
Dallas 99
Phoenix 94
Toronto 93
LA Clippers 100
New York 95
Sacramento 105
New Jersey 92
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