best in Miami, as he averaged 17.3 points a game with 5.1 assists as the Heat won 42 games and entered the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. The series went to 5 games, as Miami won its first playoff games in franchise history. Smith led the team in scoring during the series with 19.2 points and shot 40 percent from beyond the three-point line. Smith would play just two games to start the 1994–95 season before being traded along with Grant Long to Atlanta for Kevin Willis, a deal that was universally regarded as a one-sided heist by Atlanta, and that eventually led the Heat to hire Pat Riley as their coach and VP of Basketball Operations. Atlanta Hawks Smith started in 59 of 78 games for Atlanta and averaged 16 points during the regular season and 19 points in the playoffs, as the Hawks lost in a first round sweep to the Indiana Pacers. He would go on to average a then career-high 18.1 points a game in 80 starts in the 1995–96 season, forming a formidable backcourt one-two punch with Mookie Blaylock. The team under head coach Lenny Wilkens would win 46 games and defeat the Indiana Pacers in the first round in 5 games. The next round, while facing the Orlando Magic, Smith led all scorers in a Game 4 win with 35 points, before Atlanta lost the series 4 games to 1. Smith averaged 21.7 points in 10 playoff games that postseason. The following season would feature another career high scoring average (20.1) for Smith, as he continued to serve as the Hawks' main option on offense. On March 14, 1997, Smith made a career high 9 three-pointers en route to a 36 point total, during a loss to the Seattle SuperSonics. On April 9, Smith recorded a career high 5 steals in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Atlanta also featured players such as solid power-forward Christian Laettner and defensive star Dikembe Mutombo, and would go on to win 56 games before meeting and defeating the Detroit Pistons in a 5-game first round series. Smith played well against Detroit and held his own against Michael Jordan and the defending champion Chicago Bulls, who defeated the Hawks in 5 games in the semifinals. The following season would be similar to Smith as he once again averaged 20.1 points a game, but this