Looking the part? That's another story all together. In fact, the Heat's overall performance in Game 2 belies its commanding series lead.

Granted starting point guard Tim Hardaway remains on the shelf with an injured foot, but rookie point guard Anthony Carter has been more than an adequate filler. Carter even set a franchise record with 13 assists in Game 2 and almost had a triple-double with 10 points and six rebounds.

Yet it took a Jamal Mashburn whirling bankshot with six seconds left in the game and a Jerry Stackhouse impromptu rendition of the "Electric Slide" on his game-tying attempt for Miami to escape with the victory. Stackhouse's bid to answer Mashburn's clutch basket didn't reach the rim as he slipped on his drive to the basket and lost the ball to Dan Majerle as time expired.

Hardaway's injury is of little consequence to Miami. There are much bigger problems coach Pat Riley and his crew have to solve before Saturday's Game 3 in Detroit.

Like how can they provide some semblance of a smooth offensive set when Mashburn and center Alonzo Mourning aren't in the lineup?

Like how can they stop an athletic Stackhouse from dismantling their backcourt?

Like how can Miami still fail to put away an undermanned Pistons team that has superstar Grant Hill at less than 100 percent?

Game 2 was supposed to solidify Miami as a bona fide threat in the Eastern Conference. The outcome, although fortunate for Miami, left little resolved.

The Heat are having the same problems they've had during the regular season. They're still an aged bunch that can be victimized by any semblance of an athletic team. And the only certainty with this team and the postseason is that there is no certainty.

The last two playoffs have seen Miami exit quicker than I.N.S. agents after a briefing on the Elian Gonzalez case.

Sure, Miami is in a position that it hasn't been in for a while. They've won back-to-back playoff home games in the first round since being forced to a deciding Game 5 by Orlando three years ago. But given their performance against Detroit, it's little consolation.

"We were very, very fortunate to win it," Riley said, almost subdued. "We had some opportunities in the third quarter and really let them back into it. We had another opportunity when we could have pulled away but we let them back into it. We're very fortunate to win, but we're going to take it and move on."

The Heat did indeed have plenty of opportunities to break this game open. Hill left with 8:30 left in the third quarter after aggravating the bone bruise in his left ankle. He returned for a 33-second cameo near the end of the period but clearly wasn't able to do much. Hill didn't play any of the fourth period, yet it was the Heat who had to battle back from a five-point deficit.

Good thing for Miami, Hill wasn't at 100 percent or the Heat could be headed to Detroit tied 1-1 with buzzards serving as a halo.

"I don't remember the play, but whenever it was, I heard something pop," said Hill, who scored nine points in 21 minutes. "I'm going to have it X-rayed and see what it is. I actually felt something pop."

"Everyone forgets that we don't have Tim," Majerle said trying to size up Hardaway's absence to Hill's. "Our guys step up and have done a good job."

Jerry Stackhouse loses control of the ball in the final seconds of the Heat's victory.(AP)

Even without Hill, Detroit hung tough. Stackhouse continually blew by the slow-footed Majerle to score 11 of his 26 points in the third period while the Heat could only muster two points in the final six minutes of the third with Mashburn (24 points) on the bench for a breather and Mourning (22 points) right next to him with four fouls.

The Heat staged a furious rally to regain the lead with 7:06 left in the fourth and wouldn't trail again. But did they have to come to that? If Miami couldn't put away Detroit in proper fashion, what does that say about the rest of its playoff hopes? It's only going to get more difficult with a potential second-round matchup against either Toronto or those loveable New York Knicks.

Like Riley said, Miami was fortunate to beat the shorthanded Pistons. But the clarity and definition this team was seeking in its playoff picture just got a little more muddled.

The questions remain about this team. Though there is one definitive answer.

"It's a good feeling to win the game and be up 2-0," power forward P.J. Brown said, "but we still have a lot of work to do."