Heat Flips Script on Nets

MIAMI —  After working out late the night before, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade was very impressive in the early going Wednesday night and never gave the New Jersey Nets a chance.

Wade -- who practiced with Shaquille O’Neal into the wee hours of Wednesday morning -- scored 17 of his 31 points in the first quarter, sparking the Heat to a huge lead that it rode to a 111-89 victory over the Nets to tie the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series, 1-1.

O’Neal added 21 points for Miami, which outscored New Jersey, 25-4, in the first 5:49.

“Dwyane, you could almost sense it this morning that he was in a little bit of a different state,” Heat Coach Pat Riley said. “He was very upset after the game the other night, as was everybody. We played probably the best quarter of the year.”

Vince Carter had 22 points and Richard Jefferson -- playing despite the ankle-and-heel bone bruise he suffered in a 100-88 Game 1 victory -- added 16 for the Nets, who matched the second-biggest margin of defeat in franchise playoff history.

“Their overall intent was greater and sharper than ours,” Net Coach Lawrence Frank said. “The bottom line is that we went into this talking, ‘Look, every game you’re trying to win. You’re never just satisfied.’ But at the same time, Miami played with a great sense of urgency. From that first quarter on, we never recovered.”