They're going to miss Alonzo Mourning's 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in Miami.

	The Heat have played without Alonzo Mourning before, but not for an entire season.

But you knew that.

The fabric carefully knit by Pat Riley to create a championship banner for his franchise is torn by the announcement that Mourning will not play center for the Heat this season.

But you knew that.

What you may not have stopped to consider is that the Heat will miss Mourning's indomitable and glowering presence every bit as much as it will miss his scoring, his league-best shot blocking, his fierce defensive rebounding.

The argument will be made that Riley's brilliant offseason moves give him a team that is still formidable, still capable of winning in the East where there is not a single dominant center remaining. That's a point well taken.

Eddie Jones, Anthony Mason and Brian Grant are first-class talents. These are versatile and tough multiple position players and, if Tim Hardaway is right, they give Riley the best four-fifths of a great team on the east side of the Mississippi River.

But the Heat do not have anyone resembling Mourning to put in the middle and if they steal from the wing to put Grant there they are going to be overmatched at his natural spot.

Just as important, they no longer have an enforcer -- on the court or in the locker room. They've lost their scowl, their thunder, their intimidator.

Who steps up in practice and in games to become an extension of Riley? Not Grant or Jones. They've never been asked to do that and they're new guys. Not Mason, who is better known for whining about his role in the offense, complaining about his bosses and running afoul of the law than he is for leading anybody. And Hardaway? On the downside of his career, dragging a leg, worrying about his own stats, no, it won't be Hardaway.

The sad truth for Riley is that he no longer has a guy who can bring the team together when it's down seven points in the crunch time of a game, demand that they rededicate themselves and lead them to victory. He no longer has the guy who will go a little berserk on the court -- yes, we've all seen Zo overdo it -- and intimidate anyone who even thought he could take the ball to the hoop.

	Fuller

	Causwell

When things are going well the Heat will be in sync and they'll produce some dominant games. Their frontline talent is better than most in the East, but their centers are Duane "bad hands" Causwell and Todd "this is my fourth team in five years" Fuller. Riley will have $4 million in cap relief. He's not going to give it all to Chris Anstey. And before it starts, let's get this on the record: Miami will not get Dikembe Mutombo.

Is the Heat still good enough to post the best record in the East? Maybe. Charlotte is better than most realize, a team that can get up and down the floor and defend the goal as well. Milwaukee can score in startling bursts and has an outside chance to do that. The Knicks? Who knows with the Knicks, who gave up the senior member of the Georgetown Trio when they sent Patrick Ewing to Seattle.

Certainly Miami is among the top four and possibly the best of the bunch because Elden Campbell's 12.7 points a game in Charlotte won't scare anyone. Mutombo's skills are all on the defensive side and Rik Smits succumbed to the agony of da feet. There ain't no one else, folks.

Long range, you wonder if Mourning will ever play again. He is 30, with two children, one a newborn. Last week, when speculation about Zo's ability was the hot topic in South Florida, Mutombo put the situation in perspective after a lengthy late night phone conversation with his friend.

"He never once mentioned basketball," Mutombo said. "He is only interested in beating this disease [focal glomerulosclerosis] and taking care of his family. Basketball is not even on his mind now."

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