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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) – For the first time in nearly six months, All-Star
center Alonzo Mourning was bumping and banging, driving and
dunking.
|  | | Alonzo Mourning didn't have any blocks, but he changed numerous shots in his return for Miami. |
Winning, though, will have to wait.
Mourning, returning to Miami's lineup for the first time since
being diagnosed with a kidney disease last October, had nine points
and six rebounds in 19 minutes Tuesday night. But the hot-shooting
of Vince Carter and Dell Curry carried the Toronto Raptors to a
101-92 win over the Heat, snapping Miami's four-game winning
streak.
"I'm not just out here for a show, just to prove I can come
back," Mourning said. "I'm out here to win, not just to prove I
can come back from this disease. My purpose is to help this team
win, that's the bottom line."
Mourning was 3-of-11 shooting, missing several short jumpers and
a few runners in the lane. He was better on defense, changing shots
and shutting down Toronto's inside game.
But he had little affect on Carter and Curry.
Carter scored 38 points on 14-of-27 shooting and Currie added a
season-high 23 on 8-of-14 from the floor.
"We had to match their intensity and go above and beyond the
call of duty," Carter said.
Anthony Mason led the Heat with 23 points and 11 rebounds.
The Heat cut the lead to 89-87 with 4:43 to play, but the
Raptors scored the next seven points to pull away for good.
Carter scored, then Alvin Williams added a jumper and a
3-pointer to push the lead to 96-87 with three minutes left.
Williams finished with 14 points and 11 assists.
Despite the loss, Miami hopes the game was just a glimpse of
what could happen in the upcoming playoffs – especially with
Mourning's return.
"We're just going to have to work that out and let that sort of
take on a life of its own," coach Pat Riley said. "We have to get
him comfortable and get our players comfortable with him. This is
another step in that process."
Mourning, the Eastern Conference's premier center, started
practicing with the team several weeks ago and decided to play
after doctors told him his condition might not change for a year.
He said he will be monitored closely and his return will be on a
game-to-game basis.
David Falk, Mourning's agent, stressed that Mourning is not
cured, but his disease is in remission.
A six-time All-Star and a two-time defensive player of the year,
Mourning entered the game with 3:43 to play in the first quarter
and the Heat trailing 17-14. He jumped off the bench, threw off his
warmup jersey and sprinted to the scorer's table to replace Brian
Grant, who left with two fouls.
The near-sellout crowd gave Mourning a long standing ovation.
"I got the chills," Mourning said. "It felt great. Words
can't express the feeling I have for this city and the support they
have given me through this ordeal. They are one of the reasons I
made an attempt to come back."
He responded immediately with a defensive stop, forcing Antonio
Davis to turn the ball over on the ensuing possession.
But Mourning missed his first five shots, scoring only from the
free throw line, before getting a dunk at the eight-minute mark of
the second quarter.
"My concern was trying to be fully productive when I was on the
court," he said. "And I've got a lot of work to do."
The 31-year-old Mourning had been sidelined since being
diagnosed with focal glomerulosclerosis, an illness that leads to
kidney failure in about half the cases. If Mourning's kidneys fail,
he would need dialysis or a transplant.
Mourning has been taking up to 11 pills a day to treat his
kidneys and control his blood pressure and cholesterol. He also is
following a strict low-sodium diet. He last played Oct. 1 in the
U.S. Olympic team's gold-medal victory over France.
"I think he was a little excited, maybe too excited," Carter
said of Mourning. "At times, he looked like his old self, running
up and down the court, banging with other bodies. Maybe he was too
pumped up, though."
Game notes
Davis was ejected from the game early in the fourth after
getting two technicals, one for arguing a called foul and another
for mimicking the referee's technical signal. ... To make room for
Mourning on the active roster, the Heat placed forward Don MacLean
on the injured list with tendinitis in his left knee. ... In his
four previous games at Miami, Carter had averaged just 15.3 points.
He had 15 at halftime Tuesday. ... Miami backup point guard A.C.
Carter missed the game with a sprained right ankle sustained Monday
in practice.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Toronto Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
Mourning begins comeback against Raptors
RECAPS
Indiana 110
Washington 102
Boston 115
Atlanta 112
Toronto 101
Miami 92
Houston 109
Utah 86
San Antonio 93
Charlotte 79
LA Clippers 101
Detroit 94
Sacramento 124
New York 117
AUDIO/VIDEO
 ESPN's Sal Paolantonio joins Rich Eisen for an assessment of Alonzo Mourning's return.
RealVideo: | 28.8
 Alonzo Mourning was critical of his performance, but enjoyed being back in the mix.
wav: 196 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Coach Pat Riley felt Alonzo's return against Toronto was just a minor step.
wav: 103 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
ESPN's David Aldridge joins Stuart Scott to discuss Alonzo Mourning's return to action.
wav: 1100 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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