| | Associated Press
MIAMI -- Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning still insists his
team is better than the New York Knicks, a claim that will be
difficult to support as he watches the rest of the NBA playoffs
from the sideline.
And Mourning's coach may finally be convinced the Heat aren't
good enough. In the wake of Sunday's heartbreaking 83-82 loss in
Game 7, Pat Riley is expected to revamp a team that has been
eliminated three years in a row by the Knicks, each time in a
winner-take-all game at Miami.
Mourning is the only Heat player certain to return next season.
The rest of the starting lineup -- aging Dan Majerle, hobbled Tim
Hardaway, underachieving Jamal Mashburn and low-scoring P.J. Brown
-- is subject to change.
|  | | A dejected Pat Riley must now decide what to do with the Heat roster. |
Riley and his players weren't available to the media Monday,
which was perhaps just as well. Few teams have accepted defeat with
less grace than the Heat did Sunday, when they blamed the
officiating and refused to credit the Knicks.
"We're a better team than they are," Mourning said. "We put
more into preparing for the game. ... I ask myself why every year
we work, work, work and it turns out like this."
In 1998, the Heat used Mourning's suspension as an excuse for
their loss in the final game against New York. In 1999, they said
the Knicks won because Allan Houston's series-winning shot took a
lucky bounce. On Sunday, they griped about a disparity in fouls and
a controversial call on a rebound with 2.1 seconds left that gave
New York the ball -- and the series.
Instead of winners, the Heat became whiners. Owner Micky Arison,
furious about losing Game 7 in his team's new $215 million arena,
led the criticism of the referees.
"It's tough to play five against eight," Arison told The Miami
Herald. "You spend a (expletive) fortune to build this building,
and to have this happen to you is unbelievable."
Riley was also unhappy with the officiating but said, "We
should have won in spite of it."
There were other reasons for the Heat's elimination. They
averaged 80.3 points per game, an NBA record-low for a seven-game
series, and Hardaway shot 29 percent. Mashburn went 3-for-15
Sunday, and the Heat shot 11-for-21 at the free-throw line. They
blew an 18-point lead in Game 6 and a six-point lead in the final
five minutes of Game 7.
So it may be time to break up the Heat, who have little to show
for four consecutive Atlantic Division titles.
The biggest need is at shooting guard, where the 34-year-old
Majerle provides lots of defense and hustle but little scoring.
Mashburn and Brown, both perennial trade bait, are more likely than
ever to be dealt away in an attempt to acquire more firepower.
Hardaway's contract expires this summer. But following an
injury-plagued season, the 33-year-old point guard is unlikely to
be flooded with other offers, and because of salary cap constraints
the Heat may be unable to lure a replacement, so Hardaway may be
back.
More likely to depart is backup point guard Anthony Carter, who
also becomes a free agent July 1. The Heat can offer him only $2.25
million and may be outbid.
Following Sunday's game, Riley declined to talk about offseason
moves. Mourning said the core of the club should be kept together.
"Most definitely," he said. "There's a lot of love on this
team."
At the moment, there's also a lot of bitterness.
| |
 |
