Final: Miami Heat punish Brooklyn Nets, 103-73

The Nets might be the consensus pick for most-improved team this season, but they're not nearly on the Miami Heat's level. That was abundantly clear in a 103-73 blowout in Miami on Wednesday.

The Nets held a one-point lead late in the first quarter, but the Heat took control early in the second. They were up nine at the half and led by 23 at the end of the third period. It was garbage time after that. It was the Nets' worst defeat at the hands of the Heat in franchise history.

"This team shouldn't be losing by 30 to anybody," Deron Williams said. "But it's a work in progress. We can all play better. I can definitely play better and take care of the ball better. We can all play better defensively and we all know that. It's still early in the season. We're 1-2. It's not like it's time to start panicking."

"Nobody said we're on Miami's level. Nobody ever said it," Avery Johnson said, but as Stefan Bondy points out, Joe Johnson did say the Nets can beat the Heat to win a title this season. "We're definitely not there after three games in the regular season. ...So we're not there yet. But we're going to get there one day. It's going to take an enormous amount of work. We have to go through some struggles together. I'm really looking forward to seeing how our team is going to bounce back against Orlando."

The Nets shot just 39 percent from the field and just 3-for-21 from 3-point range, including 1-for-7 for Mirza Teletovic in his first extended (17) minutes. Toko Shengelia made his NBA debut, scoring two points. Williams led them with 14 points, bue he also had seven turnovers and just three assists. Kris Humphries recorded a double-double, while LeBron James came two assists shy of a triple-double for the Heat, who shot 51 percent as a team.

• Boxscore - NBA.com
• Nets vs. Heat (Video) - NBA.com
• Nets vs. Heat: First half (Video) - NBA.com
• Notebook: Heat 103, Nets 73 - Shandel Richardson - NBA.com
• Wade, James lift Heat past Nets, 103-73 - Tim Reynolds - AP
• From the Booth (Video) - Ian Eagle & Mike Fratello - YES Network
  
• Avery Johnson Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
• Joe Johnson Interview (Video) - YES Network
• Deron Williams Interview (Video) - Brooklyn Nets
• Avery Johnson Press Conference (Video) - Brooklyn Nets
  
• Rapid Reaction: Heat 103, Nets 73 - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York
• Heat Reaction: Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat - Tom Haberstroh - ESPN
• Defending champs dominate B’klyn - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• LeBron, Wade fans of Brooklyn move - Tim Bontemps - New York Post
• A new name, now new challenges - Kevin Kiernan - New York Post
  
• LeBron James two assists shy of triple double as Heat blowout Nets - Stefan Bondy - NY Daily News
• Nets vs. Heat Recap: Nets Blown Out in South Beach - Jonah Mars - From Russia With Dunk
• Miami Heat Routs the Nets - Howard Beck - NY Times
• Nets follow ugly loss to Raptors with drubbing from Heat - Rod Boone - Newsday
• Nets Can't Touch The NBA Champs - Scott Cacciola - Wall Street Journal
• Unselfish Heat watch the points pile up with ease - Mike Bernadino - South Florida Sun-Sentinel
• Miami Heat burns Brooklyn Nets, remain perfect at home - Joseph Goodman - Miami Herald
• Miami Heat’s offense turning out to be its best defense - George Richards - Miami Herald
• Winderman's View: Heat 103, Nets 73 - Ira Winderman - South Florida Sun-Sentinel
• Dwyane Wade: Jay-Z chose LeBron over me - Shandel Richardson - South Florida Sun-Sentinel