Hurt Zo Gives His Two Cents on Heat

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MIAMI ? On a day when All-Star guard Dwyane Wade missed practice because of illness ? he is expected to play against Toronto tonight ? and future Hall of Famers Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton weren't speaking to reporters, injured center Alonzo Mourning served as Heat spokesman.

And Mourning doesn't like what he's seeing from his team.

After Sunday's humbling 93-84 loss to Orlando, coach Pat Riley blamed himself for not having the Heat prepared. But Mourning, who is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a partially torn muscle in his right calf, said that's garbage.

"We're responsible for that (expletive) we showed out there," he said.

Mourning, the team's most no-nonsense player, said there was no excuse for Miami's uninspired effort. The fact that Miami won Saturday in Washington and then had to play again Sunday in Miami did not impress him.

"Whether we were mentally or physically drained, who cares?" said Mourning, 36. "That's the nature of the beast, it's the nature of the NBA. So you've got to perform and get yourself ready. We knew we were playing a back-to-back. It wasn't a surprise. ...

"I'm not pointing fingers. But, at the same time, I've been in this game long enough to know that you prepare yourself for the schedule. You be ready. It ain't no shock. Guys have to come out there and perform."

Mourning has missed the past nine games. Miami is 5-4 in that span, with losses to Cleveland, New Jersey, Detroit and Orlando.

Mourning has had a lot of company on the bench recently.

Starting forward James Posey, who might return tonight, has missed the past six games with a sprained right Achilles tendon. Miami is 2-4 without him.

Starting guard Jason Williams, out for the rest of the regular season with tendinitis in his right knee, has missed the past five games. Miami is 2-3 without him.

Beyond personnel losses, the Heat has been haunted by its tendency to fall behind by double-digit deficits and lose to most of the good teams it plays. Miami also has lost twice to Orlando and once at Toronto.

Still, the Heat has won 50 games and captured the Southeast division. It leads the league in field-goal percentage and remains wildly popular, as evidenced by its 38 sellouts in as many home games this season.</div>

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