Too passive. A secondary scorer. Tends to float on the perimeter.

Eddie Jones has heard them all during his season and a half with the Heat.

And then he was challenged Tuesday night by coach Pat Riley.

The result not only was Jones' most dynamic performance in a Heat uniform, but also the type of effort, that, in a single night, may have put to rest so many of the perceptions that had stigmatized the veteran shooting guard.

"Coach at halftime had a thing about, `Let's do something else,'" Jones said. "I said, `Hey, give me the basketball.'''

For as much as Jones accomplished with his 24 first-half points, it was what he did after the intermission -- more specifically in the fourth quarter and overtime of the 100-96 victory in Denver -- that demolished many of the doubts.

"Obviously, the key is your great player has to do it, and Eddie did it,'' Riley said.

It certainly had been a while coming. The career-high, 37-point effort was the first 30-point outing for Jones since Dec. 29, 2000, and only his fourth with the Heat. The Heat is 4-0 when Jones scores 30.

"He's feeling much more comfortable in his role and what he needs to do, and also what we need to do for him,'' Riley said.

The game began as a typical Jones 20-something effort, plenty of early jumpers and then a second-half lull. But this time Jones not only awoke from a scoreless third-quarter slumber, he put together an emphatic fourth quarter and overtime.

By the time it was over, the only debate in the locker room was which was sweeter -- Jones' reverse layup that sent the game into overtime or his resounding, baseline, one-on-three dunk that put the Heat ahead for good in overtime.

Each of Jones' points were necessary, with power forward Brian Grant focusing on the boards and coming up with a season-high 14 rebounds, with center Alonzo Mourning sidelined for a second consecutive game with the flu, and with point guard Rod Strickland forced to the bench at the end with flu symptoms.

As a spectator, Strickland said he was mesmerized by Jones' tour de force.

"Man, that performance was one you love to enjoy,'' he said. "I would have loved to be out there, but I had a lot of fun sitting there, watching it."

It was not totally enjoyable for Jones. For days he has been bothered by congestion, his breathing difficulties exacerbated by the altitude in Denver. At one point in the third quarter, he nearly doubled over.

Not tough? On this night he was more than tough enough.

"I always believed guys have a certain way to play,'' Strickland said. "But don't say he's passive."

Left to freelance, Jones often works his way into the corners for twisting, step-back jumpers. But against the Nuggets, practically everything at the end involved a beeline to the basket.

"He's strong, and he is getting by people,'' Riley said. "I was surprised that they let him go. I think Eddie, once he is alone, can get there.''

Even as he was heating up in the fourth quarter against the Nuggets, Jones said, "I felt like I wasn't getting the ball where I wanted it."

But then Jones did something that he previously shied from. He demanded the ball. He grew vigorous with his play. He took over, eclipsing the 35 points he scored Nov. 4, 1997, against the Kings while a member of the Lakers.

"I think he knows and we all know that he's the guy that's going to get it done for us,'' Riley said. "And I think in the past, it hasn't been that way."

Locker room is (flu) bugged

Riley said the flu has swept through the locker room, with Strickland the most affected among those who played Tuesday. ... Jones took particular satisfaction in his one-on-one success against former Lakers teammate and Los Angeles neighbor Nick Van Exel. Said the Nuggets point guard, "He was a good neighbor, just like Mr. Rogers.'' ...

Riley said the two-game split in Utah and Denver was not enough. "We can't afford it,'' he said. "Every step back is double for us in trying to get back into it." The Denver game was the last west of the Central Time zone for the Heat. ... Raef LaFrentz came up short despite going for 30 points and six blocked shots, which tied the Clippers' Michael Olowokandi for the most blocks against the Heat this season. "If you look at that roster, that team should be in the playoffs," the Nuggets center said. ...

Grant's 14 rebounds tied for the most by a Heat player this season. Mourning had 14 Jan. 8 against the Nets. ... In going 17 of 17 from the foul line against Denver, the Heat had its fifth perfect game from the line in its 14 seasons. The franchise record is 30 of 30 in 1993 against Boston. The 17 conversions were the second-highest total without a miss for the Heat. ... With five overtime victories, the Heat is one from the franchise record, set last season.