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With seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter against the Kings last March 26, Miami coach Pat Riley did something truly shocking: He called a play for small forward Keith Askins. It was the rare occasion last season when Askins was the focus of the Heat offense, and he responded by draining a key three-pointer as Miami went on to win 101-88. Though he rarely made the highlight reel, Askins was one of the Heat's steadiest players. He is one of the team's best defenders, and in the 30 games he started, Miami was 25-5. This season Askins will again back up Jamal Mashburn at small forward, but on those nights when Mashburn draws a particularly difficult defensive assignment or the Heat needs a clutch three-pointer, Riley won't hesitate to call on Askins again. "Keith is like a whirling dervish out there," says the coach. "He comes in and plays five guys."
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