NBA Game Summary - New Jersey at Miami

Miami, FL (Basketball News) - Alonzo Mourning had a season-high 21 points with nine rebounds to lead the Miami Heat past the New Jersey Nets, 104-87, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Dwyane Wade added 17 points and matched a playoff career-high with 10 assists for the Heat, who will take a 2-0 series lead to New Jersey for Game 3 on Thursday at Continental Airlines Arena.

Miami handled New Jersey in Game 1 on Sunday, 116-98.

Shaquille O’Neal had 14 points and 10 boards, while Damon Jones contributed 14 points, as well for the Heat, who are 8-1 in their last nine playoff games at home and have never lost a playoff series when they have won the first two games of the set.

Nenad Krstic had a playoff career-high 27 points for the Nets, who have never come back to win a playoff series down 0-2. New Jersey has also lost five of its last six on the road in the playoffs.

Vince Carter chipped in 21 points on 6-of-16 shooting for the Nets, while Jason Kidd scored 10 points to go along with six rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Miami raced out to a 7-0 lead, but New Jersey clawed its way back and pulled within one, 16-15, on Krstic’s layup. The Heat, though, closed the stanza on a 10-1 run and carried a 10-point advantage into the second quarter.

New Jersey managed to get as close as three in the early stages of the second, but again it seemed as if Miami was just toying with it, as it quickly went back ahead by double digits.

Mourning and Wade each had eight points to lead a well-balanced Miami scoring attack in the first half, as the Heat carried a 48-39 advantage into the locker room.

Krstic had 18 points to pace the Nets through the first 24 minutes.

Things got no better for New Jersey out of the break, as they trailed by double-digits for a majority of the stanza and went into the final quarter down by 17 points, 76-59.

Miami was never really threatened in the final 12 minutes and cruised to the 17-point win for its 22nd win in its last 23 tries at home. During the year the Heat were an Eastern Conference-best 35-6 at home.