Alonzo Mourning can feel it.
After 16 wins in their last 18 games, the Miami Heat are ready to take their game to the next level."We're on the verge of becoming one of the elite teams," Mourning said Tuesday night after his 19 points and 14 rebounds paced Miami to a 94-85 victory over the Washington Wizards. "We're getting there, but we won't be satisfied until we get to the finals."
Miami (17-5), the best team in the Eastern Conference, is tied with Portland for the NBA's second-best record behind the Utah Jazz (18-4). The Heat are riding a five-game winning streak and have won their last 11 home games.
"When your team becomes confident and is recognized as one of the top teams in the league, you have to keep that going," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We have established that."
Yes they have.
Hardaway scored 24 points, including a fadeaway jumper with 53 seconds left, and added nine assists to complement Mourning's effort. The Heat shot a season-high 54.2 percent on 32-of-59 shooting.
Mitch Richmond scored 22 points and Juwan Howard added 18 and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Wizards.
KNICKS 113, CLIPPERS 89: At New York, Latrell Sprewell scored 18 of his season-high 31 points in the second quarter to pace the Knicks, who scored the first 14 points of the game.
It was the third victory in three nights for the Knicks, who became the fifth NBA team to sweep a back-to-back-to-back set this year.
HAWKS 85, PACERS 79: Steve Smith hit two free throws with 7.9 seconds left to lift Atlanta to victory at Indiana, the Hawks' fourth straight.
Alan Henderson led the Hawks with 19 points and Dikembe Mutombo had 20 rebounds in ending the Pacers' four-game winning streak.
CAVALIERS 86, PISTONS 82: Andrew DeClercq had a career-best 17 rebounds in his home debut for Cleveland, and Brevin Knight scored a season-high 19 points for the Cavaliers.
Shawn Kemp added 20 points and nine rebounds for the Cavs, who won despite just 33 percent hooting from the floor.
RAPTORS 100, NETS 85: In coach Don Casey's first game since replacing the fired John Calipari, New Jersey was just as miserable as ever at Toronto.
The Raptors' Vince Carter had 20 points and 15 rebounds and the Nets fell to 3-18.
LAKERS 107, TIMBERWOLVES 101: At Minneapolis, Glen Rice and Shaquille O'Neal combined for 46 points as the Lakers won for the 11th time in 12 games since Kurt Rambis replaced Del Harris as coach.
Dennis Rodman missed his second game since leaving the team for personal reasons.
SUNS 110, BUCKS 92: At Milwaukee, Cliff Robinson scored 20 points and Tom Gugliotta 19 for Phoenix, which led by 32 at one point in the second quarter.
Milwaukee lost its fourth straight since trading away Terrell Brandon and Tyrone Hill.
ROCKETS 101, TRAIL BLAZERS 93: At Houston, Scottie Pippen had 18 points and nine assists after a pregame talk with coach Rudy Tomjanovich.
"I was happy, we talked, that's all I'm going to say," Pippen said after complaining about not being more involved in the offense. "My style is to get started early. I like to get started early and let the team feed off my energy."
SUPERSONICS 87, GRIZZLIES 85: At Seattle, Vin Baker's tip-in with a half-second left saved the Sonics and handed Vancouver its 13th straight loss.
"I'm not really creative with my left hand, but it happened to be at the right place with the ball," Baker, who finished with 31 points, said of his game-winner off Detlef Schrempf's miss.
Seattle's Gary Payton was ejected with 3:49 left in the third quarter after his second technical foul.
SPURS 121, KINGS 109: San Antonio won its eighth in a row as Tim Duncan had 29 points and 12 rebounds and Avery Johnson had 17 points and 15 assists at Sacramento.
Vlade Divac paced the Kings with 18 points and 10 rebounds.