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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MIAMI (AP) – It was like old times in Miami: Alonzo Mourning
came through in the clutch, and Jamal Mashburn didn't.
Mourning sank an acrobatic go-ahead basket with 93 seconds left,
and the Heat rallied to beat Mashburn and the slumping Charlotte
Hornets 81-76 Friday night.
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Zo prepares for playoffs
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The doctor for Alonzo Mourning said the Heat center likely will be able to play without restrictions when the NBA playoffs begin in about two weeks, Bloomberg.com reported Friday.
Mourning, 31, returned to the Heat on March 27 after sitting out most of the season while recovering from a kidney ailment. He is suffering from focal glomerulosclerosis, the same disease that forced Spurs forward Sean Elliott to undergo a kidney transplant in 1999.
"He's still not 100 percent, but he's getting closer and closer," Dr. Gerald Appel told Bloomberg.com in a telephone interview. "As long as we can do it safely ... by the time the playoffs come, coach Riley can do whatever he wants with him."
Mourning, who was averaging 20 minutes since his return, played 27 minutes in Friday's 81-76 victory over Charlotte.
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Mashburn again fizzled in the fourth quarter, as often happened
during his four seasons with the Heat. And for the third time in a
week, the Hornets blew a big lead and lost.
"This one won't sit well with us," Mashburn said.
The Heat trailed most of the way, but Mourning put them ahead to
stay 75-74 by hitting a fallaway one-hander off his left foot as
he was fouled. Dan Majerle's 3-pointer with 30 seconds left made it
78-74, and Anthony Mason locked up the win with two free throws
with nine seconds to go.
Mourning played 27 minutes, his most extensive action in his
comeback, and had 12 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots.
"I'm tired, man," Mourning said. "But I'm making progress
every time I'm able to get through a game."
The Heat improved to 3-3 since his return after missing the
first 69 games because of a kidney ailment now in remission.
"It's going to take him a while to find his touch and get his
timing," Majerle said. "But I like what he's doing for us on
defense."
Mashburn scored 20 points in the first three periods, then was
shut out in the fourth quarter, going 0-for-6. He missed two free
throws with 1:21 left and his team trailing by one, then missed a
desperation jumper in the final seconds and finished 8-for-25.
"He had some wide-open looks," coach Paul Silas said. "They
just didn't go down."
Miami moved 3 1/2 games ahead of Charlotte in the race for
home-court advantage in the first round of the Eastern Conference
playoffs.
"This was a big game," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "The team
that doesn't have home-court advantage is always in a state of
desperation."
|  | | Alonzo Mourning had something to celebrate Friday night: 12 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots. |
Charlotte has lost six of its past eight games. In the past
eight days they have blown leads of 21 and 20 points in home
losses.
"It's sad to think you'd almost rather the game be close at
halftime than have a big lead," guard David Wesley said. "We keep
beating ourselves. That third and fourth quarter is killing us."
This time Charlotte led 46-35 late in the first half, but Miami
pulled even at 64 early in the final period.
The Heat went ahead for the first time in the second half on a
dazzling breakaway following a turnover, with Anthony Carter
throwing a blind over-the-shoulder pass to Cedric Ceballos for the
basket and a 68-66 lead.
Tim Hardaway went 0-for-7 and failed to score for the first time
since Dec. 17, 1997 against Washington, but he had a season-high 12
assists.
"I took shots, I missed shots," Hardaway said. "When you're
not scoring, you've got to do something else."
Mason had 22 points for the Heat, who won despite missing 10 of
20 free throws.
Game notes
According to the Charlotte Observer, Hornets' owner George Shinn has told Charlotte-area business leaders that he will not sell the team after all. This is a change in Shinn's earlier position. Some in the Charlotte business community had hoped to buy Shinn's stake in the club in hopes of increasing the chances of passing a referendum issue in June that would recommend paying for a new arena. Shinn owns about 65 percent of the team. ... In the past three games, Miami's Bruce Bowen has been
outscored 78-25 by the other team's starting small forward. ... The
teams split their four-game season series. ... The Heat improved to
15-24 against teams with winning records. ... Before the game,
Mourning was honored as USA Basketball's male athlete of the year.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Charlotte Clubhouse
Miami Clubhouse
RECAPS
Philadelphia 96
Cleveland 88
LA Lakers 100
Boston 96
Miami 81
Charlotte 76
Toronto 108
Orlando 100
Indiana 100
Chicago 93
Minnesota 101
Phoenix 88
Sacramento 118
Vancouver 90
Portland 122
Golden State 91
LA Clippers 113
Milwaukee 110
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