What's driving Payton, Mourning? Bare finger
By TIMES WIRES
Published May 25, 2006
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - There's really only one reason Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning are still playing.
It's not stats; they have more than 35,000 points in 2,100-plus games over 29 seasons. Not respect, as that was earned long ago by 16 All-Star nods and three defensive player of the year awards. And not money, given the combined $230-million in salary they've commanded in their careers.
No, the lure is an NBA title. And in the playoffs, the Miami Heat's two oldest men have played big roles while edging closer to that elusive championship ring.
"You're talking about guys that are future Hall of Famers," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "And there's a reason why they're future Hall of Famers. It's because they didn't settle for just getting a big contract or whatever. They always wanted to get the most out of their opportunity. This is their opportunity."
So far, they've taken advantage.
Neither has big scoring numbers, but their presence, particularly on the defensive end, has been crucial for the Heat, who'll try to take a 2-0 lead over Detroit when the Eastern Conference finals resume tonight.
Payton is averaging nine points on 58 percent shooting in his past five games, with one turnover in his past 131 minutes.
He played his best game of these playoffs in Tuesday's Game 1 victory over Detroit. He scored 14 on 6-for-8 shooting, taking over as an offensive leader when Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade were out with foul trouble, plus helping defend Pistons guard Chauncey Billups superbly as Miami won 91-86.
Mourning is 7-for-7 from the field in his past two games and shooting 79 percent in the playoffs, on top of his usual yeoman-like work in the rebounding, shot-blocking and shot-altering categories. He had six points, four rebounds and two blocks in Game 1.
Only two reserves, Dallas' Erick Dampier (19) and the Pistons' Antonio McDyess (11), have more blocks than Mourning's 10 in these playoffs.
BOBCATS:Ed Tapscott, the first employee hired when the league gave Charlotte the expansion team, stepped down as president and CEO of the second-year team. No reason was given for Tapscott's departure.
WIZARDS:It turns out coach Eddie Jordan was indeed fined for griping about the officiating during the first round of the playoffs. The team confirmed that the league docked Jordan $25,000 for comments he made after a 97-96 loss to the Cavs in Game 3. Neither the league nor the team announced the fine at the time it was levied.
WNBA:Cheryl Ford had 17 points and 14 rebounds to lead host Detroit over Minnesota 78-69. Minnesota's Seimone Augustus, the No. 1 pick in April's draft, scored 10 in the first half before hurting her left ankle. She started the second half but struggled and sat out most of the third. The Shock led only 42-41 early in the third, but Ford had seven points in a 9-0 run that gave Detroit a double-digit lead. Megan Duffy's layup at the third-quarter buzzer pulled the Lynx within 59-50, but Minnesota couldn't narrow the gap until Augustus returned and hit two jumpers to cut the deficit to 68-64 with 4:41 to play. Detroit, though, scored the next seven, capped by Katie Smith's 3-pointer that put the Shock up by 11 with 3:10 to go.