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NBA briefs

Compiled from Times wires

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 11, 2000

Despite illness, Mourning visits Heat at practice

MIAMI -- Ailing Heat center Alonzo Mourning, weighing medical options and hoping to avoid a kidney transplant, visited practice Tuesday for the first time since an apparent kidney disorder was discovered.

"He's upbeat," coach Pat Riley said. "He walked in and lit the place up."

Mourning's prognosis remained uncertain, Heat officials said. A course of treatment likely will be determined by next week, after Mourning has finished consulting with doctors, Riley said.

Mourning's foster mother, Fannie Threet, said he has a rare kidney ailment that could require a transplant.

"He just said, "Oh, it is bad, Mom. It is bad,' " she told the Palm Beach Post for Tuesday's editions. Threet, interviewed by telephone from her home in Chesapeake, Va., raised Mourning from the time he was 12.

Threet said she had spoken twice with Mourning since the ailment was discovered during a routine physical. She said Mourning told her doctors were "hopeful they could find a kidney, if it was necessary."

Mourning spent about 90 minutes at the Heat's closed practice session. Heat and Olympic teammate Tim Hardaway said he greeted Mourning with a hug and "stupid stuff that comes out of your mouth."

"You think, "Wow, this guy has everything -- money, family, a nice house -- and something like this happens,' " Hardaway said. "It's tough."

Mourning met with Riley, stretched with teammates and rode a stationary bike long enough to break a sweat.

"I'm going to tell you: Don't be having a long face around him," Riley said. "He'll kick your rear. He's about attacking it and finding a plan, and he doesn't want to be around anybody who is feeling sorry for him."

When asked about reports that Mourning may need a kidney transplant, Riley said, "Please" and ended his interview session.

The Heat then departed for their first preseason game, today at New Jersey. Mourning remained in Miami.

Also, Miami released forward Mario Bennett and center Ike Nwankwo, both of whom had signed with the team Thursday.

CELTICS: Paul Pierce bounced the ball, bent his knees, raised his right arm and shot his free throw. Good. The prognosis for Pierce's return to playing soon is very good considering that two weeks ago he was recovering from surgery after being stabbed several times in a Boston nightclub.

HORNETS: Forward Derrick Coleman will miss the preseason while he adjusts to a new heart medication, the team said. Coleman, 33, has been treated for an irregular heartbeat for several years. He recently changed his medication, and his body is taking longer than anticipated to adjust, the team said.

PACERS: Sam Perkins is starting his third annual Farewell Tour. This time, the center says, he really means it. "This is it for me, for sure," said Perkins, who turned 39 in June and is beginning his 17th season in the NBA. "No doubt. I'm certain." He said the same thing the past two years. But the Pacers' success -- the team reached the NBA Finals last season for the first time -- and good health have brought Perkins back for what he vows will be his final season.

WARRIORS: Dave Cowens has been around long enough to know that when a group of players gets together on a court, all they want to do is play. Forget about drills, working on fundamentals or free-throw shooting. So in his first training camp as the Golden State coach, Cowens put his foot down right away. There would be no scrimmaging, he decided, until ... the third practice. Upon hearing the edict, all the returning Warriors giggled. The third practice? Under former coach P.J. Carlesimo they would have been happy to scrimmage in the third week. Latrell Sprewell spent two months under Carlesimo and says he didn't get to scrimmage once. There are myriad differences between training camp under Carlesimo and Cowens, but the most significant one can be summarized in five words: more running and less talking. "It's a lot of fun," 12th-year veteran Mookie Blaylock said.

Preseason games

TIMBERWOLVES 100, RAPTORS 96: Kevin Garnett had 17 points and 16 rebounds for visiting Minnesota. The game became tense after Charles Oakley knocked Garnett to the floor as the Timberwolves forward went up for a dunk in the third quarter.

76ERS 92, SPURS 87: Allen Iverson had 15 points for host Philadelphia. Iverson, playing 23 minutes, was 5-for-8 from the field and 5-for-5 from the line. Tyrone Hill added 11 points and eight rebounds.

KNICKS 96, BULLS 91: Glen Rice scored 20 points on 16 for 16 shooting from the line in his first preseason game with his new team, host New York. Rice, who admitted to being nervous before the game, shot 2-for-9 from the field. Although he is expected to be a reserve in the regular season, Rice started as Allan Houston sat out with a sprained left ankle.

MAGIC 105, HAWKS 83: Tracy McGrady scored 24 points in his debut for host Orlando. Don Reid had 13 points, Darrell Armstrong 11, and John Amaechi and Mike Miller nine each for the Magic. Grant Hill, Orlando's other big off-season acquisition, was not in uniform for the team's first presea son game. Jim Jackson led the Hawks with 12 points, and Anthony Johnson had 11. McGrady made 8 of 18 shots from the field and was 8-for-13 from the freethrow line in 20 minutes. Orlando led 24-17 after one quarter and 49-36 at the half. The Hawks trailed by 12 after three quarters, then were outscored 37-27 in the final period.

MAVERICKS 93, ROCKETS 92: Steve Nash hit two free throws with 2.7 seconds to lift host Dallas. Steve Francis's five-foot bank shot for the winner rimmed out as time expired. A layup by Francis with 6.6 seconds left gave the Rockets a 92-91 lead.

PISTONS 101, CAVALIERS 97: Little-known David Vanterpool had eight points in the final six minutes for host Detroit. Vanterpool, a 6-foot-5 guard, played for the CBA champion Yakima Sun Kings last season after spending two years with the Jilin Tigers of the Chinese league. Jerry Stackhouse led the Pistons, who used 18 players, with 14 points.

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