Apparently, Thursday's loss at Orlando was just a small setback, not the start of another sickening swoon.

After a slight detour, the Heat hopped back on the road to respectability Saturday, hitting 10 of its first 11 shots and leading throughout an impressive 90-77 victory over the Atlantic Division-leading New Jersey Nets at AmericanAirlines Arena.

``This was huge,'' said Heat guard Eddie Jones, who scored 13 of his 20 points in the second half. ``We knew we gave them the game in Orlando. That wasn't the team we've gradually become.''

With Alonzo Mourning dominating the paint, the Heat opened an early 25-10 lead and won for the seventh time in eight games. Miami held the Nets 19 points below their average after giving up 95 and 104 in two previous losses to New Jersey.

``Miami scares the heck out of me,'' Nets coach Byron Scott said. ``I would hate to have the first-place berth and get them at the eight spot [in the first round of the playoffs]. They are a very, very dangerous team, and very good. That was the most physical anybody has been with us.''

Mourning shot 8 of 10, scored 23 (including his 12,000th career point), hauled in eight rebounds and blocked four shots. ``He looked like the old Zo,'' Nets center Todd MacCulloch said. ``Every time we've faced him, he's gotten stronger.''

Mourning soared to block Aaron Williams' dunk attempt, then elevated to swat away Keith Van Horn's layup. MacCulloch looked like he was stuck in mud as Mourning swerved around him for a dunk.

``Zo made a lot of big blocks, key rebounds, taking the ball strong to the basket,'' Jones said. ``We pretty much followed his leadership.''

Mourning's old temper was on display, too. Two minutes after picking up his second flagrant foul of the season, Mourning was called for a technical.

``I know where I used to be, and I'm not there,'' said Mourning, who is battling kidney disease. ``I'm living for today, trying to have great moments today. Nothing is guaranteed.''

Brian Grant earned loud cheers by corraling three offensive rebounds and hitting a jumper in the second quarter. He scored nine points and tied his season high with 12 rebounds.

``That's what coach brought me here for -- to be a hard-nosed effort guy,'' Grant said. ``I haven't been playing to that form. I don't have to be a big-time scorer.''

Miami outrebounded the Nets by a season-high 18 (45-27). That helped the Heat overcome 17 turnovers, including four apiece by Mourning and Rod Strickland.

Jones, who faded in the second half of Thursday's loss, did the opposite Saturday, overcoming a poor first half (seven points, 2-of-7 shooting) to score 10 in the third quarter.

Jones has scored at least 20 in six straight games, his Heat high and two short of his career mark. An 84.6 percent free-throw shooter, Jones would have surpassed 20 if he hadn't missed six of 13 free throws.

The Heat (15-27) capitalized on a poor game by Van Horn (nine points, 3-of-12 shooting) and a pedestrian performance by Jason Kidd, who had nine assists but missed five of seven shots. Strickland, who had seven assists, outscored Kidd 11-6.

``We did a great job on Kidd, not letting him expose us in transition,'' Jones said.

Down by 17, the Nets went on a 13-1 run over the end of the second quarter and start of the third to close to 44-39. But the Heat scored 10 straight, and the Nets never again drew closer than nine.

The Heat shot 52.3 percent, the third time Miami has topped 50 percent against the Nets this season. But New Jersey won the previous two meetings, each by nine points.


Riley, frustrated with Mourning receiving hard fouls, said he expects the flagrant-foul issue to be addressed by the NBA in the offseason ``because of what happened with Shaquille O'Neal. Sometimes Zo's technique and leverage is not as good as it should be, and he gets knocked off balance a lot.''

Riley, on the state of the NBA: ``This is going to be a league of change the next three or four years. Teams are absolutely beside themselves trying to rid themselves of long-term contracts. A lot of teams are going to start over. The teams that seem to be doing well were the teams that were bad for three or four years.''