NEW YORK - Alonzo Mourning was released from the hospital Tuesday, just days after receiving a kidney donated by a cousin he hadn't seen since childhood.
Mourning said he was in "a lot of pain" as he left New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, where he had the transplant Friday. He was joined by the cousin, Jason Cooper, 30, an inactive Marine who lives in New York.
"Jason was definitely God-sent," Mourning said. "I'm very grateful. Words can't even be enough to explain how I feel."
Mourning, 33, retired Nov. 24 because of complications from the kidney disease focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, or FSGS. He was diagnosed before the 2000-01 season, when he was with the Heat. The disease affects the filters that remove toxins from the blood.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to do it," Cooper said.
Doctors said Mourning's prognosis for a relatively normal life is good. Mourning said he hasn't considered whether he would try to return to professional basketball.
TWO MAGIC DEALS: Orlando made two trades involving a pair of forwards, acquiring Monty Williams from the 76ers and sending Donnell Harvey to the Suns.
The Sixers also traded a second-round pick in next year's draft and cash to the Magic for a conditional second-round pick. Williams has spent this season on the injured list with a bad left knee.
The Magic received another second-round pick in next year's draft from Phoenix for Harvey, a former Florida Gator. He is averaging 4.1 points and 3.0 rebounds.
LEBRON SUED: Cavaliers rookie LeBron James has been sued for $15-million by an Aurora, Ohio, businessman. Joe Marsh, majority owner of Magic Arts & Entertainment, says that as part of a July 2001 deal to loan $100,000 to James' mother, Gloria, and his father figure, Eddie Jackson, James agreed to give Marsh exclusive documentary rights to his life and have Marsh involved in endorsement and marketing deals.
The contracts were oral, Marsh says in his suit. James' attorney, Fred Nance, said James did not sign a written agreement and all the claimed agreements were based on conversations.
CLIPPERS: Olden Polynice was activated after twice going on the injured list with a strained neck and playing just one game this season.
Tuesday night's games
WOLVES 98, KNICKS 92: Latrell Sprewell made a lot of noise in his return to Madison Square Garden, cursing at the Knicks' owner, screaming at their bench and yelling in triumph after the best comeback game by any player to have spent at least five seasons in New York.
Sprewell scored 31 to lead Minnesota over the team that traded him over the summer. After his 3-pointer gave the Timberwolves a 94-89 lead with 1:14 left, he turned to James Dolan, chairman of the Knicks' corporate owner, and unleashed a stream of curses. He then turned on the bench and got a technical.
Keith Van Horn, the player the Knicks acquired for Sprewell, scored 20 but only two in the fourth quarter.
KINGS 114, GRIZZLIES 97: Peja Stojakovic scored a career-high 41, Brad Miller had his fifth straight double-double with 20 points and 17 rebounds, and host Sacramento rallied from an early 17-point deficit for a runaway win.
WARRIORS 107, LAKERS 98: Clifford Robinson scored a season-high 24, and Erick Dampier had 17 and 11 rebounds while outmuscling Shaquille O'Neal as Golden State posted its third home win over the Lakers in five games. O'Neal had 21 points but just five rebounds for Los Angeles, which has lost three of five.
HEAT 79, WIZARDS 72: Dwyane Wade scored 11 of his 20 in the fourth quarter to lead Miami to its fifth straight home win.
HAWKS 93, CELTICS 88: Shareef Abdur-Rahim scored 25 and host Atlanta took advantage of a poor shooting night by Boston's Paul Pierce to end a seven-game losing streak. Pierce had 15 points and was 4-of-16 from the floor.
CAVS 97, HORNETS 86: Rookie LeBron James scored 22 and Eric Williams scored 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter as host Cleveland rallied for its third consecutive win, the first such streak since April 6-10, 2002 - a span of 113 games.
NETS 95, BULLS 78: Jason Kidd had 18 points and led a trio of highlight-film fastbreaks as host New Jersey won for the seventh time in nine games.
BUCKS 83, PISTONS 78: Joe Smith had 18 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for host Milwaukee, which climbed back to .500 for the first time since Dec. 2 with its fifth win in seven games.
SPURS 111, CLIPPERS 90: Tim Duncan scored 22 and Tony Parker added 19 and a career-high 14 assists to lead host San Antonio to its 11th straight win.
PACERS 79, ROCKETS 71: Jermaine O'Neal had 21 points and 14 rebounds for his 15th double-double of the season to lead visiting Indiana.
SONICS 116, SUNS 90: Ray Allen rejoined host Seattle after missing the first 25 games and scored 24 to lead all scorers. The three-time All-Star shooting guard, sidelined with an ankle injury, started but was limited to 23 minutes. He hit 8 of 13 shots and had seven assists.
BLAZERS 97, MAVS 88: Zach Randolph had 27 points to help host Portland snap a two-game losing streak and hand Dallas its fourth straight loss.
