MIAMI - The Heat had no need for another last-second hero Wednesday - not the way the Hornets missed shots at a near-record rate.
New Orleans shot 24.4 percent to tie for the second-lowest playoff point total since the shot clock was introduced in 1954, and the Heat won 93-63 for a 2-0 lead in their East quarterfinal series.
The hapless Hornets finished 20-for-82. They sank seven meaningless baskets in the fourth to avoid breaking the record for playoff shooting futility - 23.3 percent, set by Golden State in 1973.
Utah holds the playoff record for fewest points with 54 in 1998.
"Some nights the ball goes in, and some nights it doesn't," Miami coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You can attribute it to a lot of things, but maybe it's just that simple."
Dwyane Wade's basket with 1.3 seconds left gave Heat a win in Game 1, but Miami wrapped up Game 2 early, taking a 23-point lead in the third.
Game 3 is Saturday in New Orleans. The Heat have won 14 in a row at home, but it is just 13-28 on the road.
Eddie Jones scored 19 for Miami, which shot 45 percent. Caron Butler had 18 and nine rebounds.
BUCKS 92, PISTONS 88: Michael Redd scored 26 for visiting Milwaukee, which tied the East quarterfinal series at 1. The Bucks led 87-72 with 3:13 left before Detroit made a frantic comeback.
With a chance to tie or take the lead, Rasheed Wallace took a pass in the corner and the ball slipped out of his hands and went out of bounds with 4.1 seconds left.
Redd, the Bucks' leading scorer, then made two free throws to seal it.
On Sunday, Redd had just 11, about half his average, and made seven of Milwaukee's 25 turnovers in its 108-82 loss. Redd scored his 12th on the opening possession of the second half Wednesday.
Detroit's Chauncey Billups scored 20 before fouling out, and Richard Hamilton had 18 before being ejected with a second technical foul with 4:58 left.
Game 3 is Saturday.
WOLVES 95, NUGGETS 81: Latrell Sprewell took care of the shooting, and Kevin Garnett did the dirty work.
Sprewell scored 31 and Garnett had his third career playoff triple double for host Minnesota, which took a 2-0 lead in the West quarterfinal series. Game 3 is Saturday.
Garnett finished with 20 points, 22 rebounds and 10 assists, and has 42 rebounds in two games.
Voshon Lenard scored 24 to lead the Nuggets, but only nine came in the final three quarters. Carmelo Anthony continued his quiet postseason with 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Timberwolves are halfway to winning their first series.
H. Brown coach of year
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Hubie Brown answered a question about Memphis' first pro basketball playoff game by detailing how his Kentucky Colonels won the ABA title in 1975. He listed the roster and pointed out that 72 of 79 players won NBA jobs after the leagues merged.
Jerry West listened, then said: "I can't remember yesterday. How do you remember that?"
"When you're old, you just talk," Brown said. "I take advantage of the fact that you're being charitable."
Brown - at 70, the oldest coach in the league - had plenty to talk about after winning the Coach of the Year award for leading the Grizzlies to 50 wins.
He beat Utah's Jerry Sloan in a close race with 466 points, including 62 of 122 first-place votes from sports writers and sportscasters.
The award marks a 26-year span between victories for Brown, who also was honored as the top coach in the 1977-78 season with Atlanta. Gene Shue won 13 years apart, with Baltimore (1969) and Washington (1982).
"Here we are 26 years later, and he wins another one," said West, the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations.
West heard plenty of criticism when he hired Brown in November 2002. He couldn't stop smiling as he presented his coach with the award at a news conference after practice. He called Brown the best coach he has been around.
