Heat hammer helpless Hawks

With only eight players, Atlanta can't compete

? Atlanta Hawks coach Terry Stotts couldn’t have asked for more from his eight players.

Eddie Jones scored 24 points and Dwyane Wade added 22, and the Miami Heat built their biggest first-half lead in team history en route to a 125-92 victory over the undermanned Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks played without newcomers Bob Sura and Zeljko Rebraca, who were acquired Thursday in a three-team trade with Boston and Detroit. Both players spent the game in the Atlanta locker room, even though Rasheed Wallace, who was involved in the same trade, played for the Pistons on Friday night.

“I was told before the game that our guys couldn’t play,” Stotts said. “I don’t know, I don’t know … I was just trying to manage the game.”

The Hawks dressed nine players, then lost swingman Wesley Person after one quarter because of a sprained right knee.

Sura and Rebraca joined the Hawks on Friday but were not expected to play, pending Chucky Atkins’ physical with Boston. Chris Mills, also acquired by Atlanta in the deal, is on the injured list.

After Atlanta learned Wallace, who went from Atlanta to Detroit in the deal, played for the Pistons against Minnesota, Sura and Rebraca were told to get into uniform and prepare to play.

But after a Hawks official was told by a league representative none of the players involved in the trade should play, Atlanta decided to keep the newcomers sidelined.

Wallace was not allowed to play after the first half by the NBA because the certification completing the trade did not go through before tipoff, according to league spokesman Tim Frank.

Miami's Dwyane Wade (3) prepares to pass as Atlanta's Joel Przybilla defends. The Heat beat the depleted Hawks, 125-92, Friday in Miami.

“It’s a matter that will have to be reviewed by the league,” Frank said.

Jones had 20 points as Miami built a 73-42 halftime cushion. The Heat went ahead by as many as 33 points late in the second quarter, and then by 42 early in the fourth.

“I felt bad for Terry — there aren’t too many times you’re going to be that undermanned,” Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We have had some tough times, but it can’t get much worse than it did for Terry tonight.”

Brian Grant scored 17 points and Lamar Odom had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Heat, who won their third consecutive game — all by double-digits. Miami’s 125 points were a season-high.

“We’ve been on the other end of it,” said Grant, one of six Heat players who scored in double figures. “It’s nice to go out there and see everything you put up go in.

“The whole team was having fun and the crowd was having fun.”

The Hawks were not.

“When you’re down 30, short-handed and you feel a lot of things are going against you, it is sometimes hard to compete,” Stotts said. “I was happy with the way they competed.”

Chris Crawford scored 21 points, Jason Terry 18 and Stephen Jackson 17 for the Hawks.

Nets 91, Raptors 72

Toronto — Jason Kidd tied a season-high with 15 assists and Richard Jefferson had 20 points to help New Jersey set a franchise-record with its 12th straight victory. Donyell Marshall had 17 points and 13 rebounds for the Raptors.

Timberwolves 88, Pistons 87

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Kevin Garnett had 25 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Timberwolves to their fifth straight victory. Detroit’s Chauncey Billups fouled out after reaching his second career triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Pacers 96, Wizards 87

Washington — Reggie Miller scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, and Jamaal Tinsley hit two three-pointers in the final 1:10 for Indiana.

Jazz 92, Knicks 78

New York — Andrei Kirilenko scored 23 points for Utah. Stephon Marbury scored 21 to lead New York.

Cavaliers 89, Spurs 87

Cleveland — LeBron James scored 32 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas made a key putback in the final minute and Cleveland snapped San Antonio’s six-game winning streak. Tim Duncan scored 21 points but the reigning two-time league MVP had an awful shooting night, going just 9-for-28 from the field.

Magic 102, Nuggets 98

Orlando, Fla. — Juwan Howard had 24 points and Kansas University product Drew Gooden added 16 points and 12 rebounds to help Orlando overcome Tracy McGrady’s ejection to defeat Denver. Carmelo Anthony had 35 points for Denver, which had its three-game winning streak snapped.

Grizzlies 97, Suns 92

Memphis, Tenn. — Pau Gasol had 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight blocked shots, and Memphis handed Phoenix its seventh straight loss. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 23 points, but fouled out with 4:28 remaining.

Kings 91, Bulls 83

Chicago — Peja Stojakovic scored 24 points, and Vlade Divac had 11 assists and 11 rebounds to lead depleted Sacramento. KU product Kirk Hinrich had 15 points and 10 assists for the Bulls.

Blazers 94, Warriors 93

Oakland, Calif. — Zach Randolph scored 19 points and made a layup with 1.8 seconds left to lead Portland. Nick Van Exel scored 20 points for Golden State, hitting four three-pointers.

Lakers 116, 76ers 88

Los Angeles — Shaquille O’Neal had 29 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers. Allen Iverson, who scored 40 points in Philadelphia’s win Thursday at Seattle, was held to 13 points on 3-of-18 shooting.