A gutsy outing by New Orleans, combined with a few breaks, gave them a 104-92 upset of Miami. Miami was the favorite coming in, and it showed when they were sharp. But Miami played their hearts out and stuck around, which put them in position to capitalize on what chances they were given. "They played about the perfect game, given the team's talent," said Miami coach Bob. "[New Orleans coach] Bob did a splendid job getting them ready for the game, and they didn't give us anything for free."

Said New Orleans star Fletcher, "Coach just told us to go out there and stay focused. Told us that if we played a mistake-free game, it could be ours to win. And that's exactly what happened."

New Orleans was led by Fletcher (20 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, a steal, 2 blocks), Bobb (12 points, 9 boards, 0 assists, 5 blocks), Howie (15 points). Miami was led by Hively (8 points, 7 boards, 0 assists, 4 blocks), Dupree (17 points, 5 boards, 0 assists, a steal), Atwood (14 points, 0 assists, a steal, 2 blocks).

New Orleans stand at 31-25 with today's victory. They stay at #3 in the Southwest and remain at #6 overall in the Western Conference. Miami are now 35-20 and 17-8 at home with today's loss. They hold at #1 in the Southeast and hold at #3 overall in the Eastern Conference.

box score New Orleans roster Miami roster